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Two-on-two end-zone catch

Create space away from the puck and time a receiving run into a scoring area against live opposition.

10U · 12U · 14U+Intermediate8 minutes4–4 players
Original drill diagram
Two-on-two end-zone catch: player positions and movement A1A2B1B2
A attacks the right end zone and B the left. Vertical solid segments mark the two end-zone boundaries. The dashed pass and A2’s run meet inside the right zone. Original schematic; not to scale. Circles with numbers or letters mark players. Other markers and arrows are explained in the caption; some diagrams show puck or ball movement instead of skating. Red arrows show shots. Follow the written setup for spacing.

How to run it

Equipment: Skates, Hockey protective equipment, Cones, Stick, Pucks

  1. Use eight cones to mark a 30-by-24-foot rectangle with a 5-foot end zone at each end. Teams A and B have two players each; A attacks right and B attacks left. Use one puck and no nets.
  2. Start with all four players between the end zones. A1 begins with the puck. A team scores when a teammate catches a pass in the attacking end zone.
  3. The receiver must enter the end zone after the pass leaves the blade; waiting inside does not count. Defenders can intercept or take the puck with the stick, without body contact.
  4. On a turnover, the new team attacks the opposite end immediately. After a score or out-of-bounds puck, reset centrally with possession to the other team.
  5. Play 45-second rounds with 30-second breaks within eight minutes. Track catches that meet the entry rule and discuss one useful run during each break.

Key teaching points

  • Cue: “Arrive with the puck.” The run and pass should meet in the end zone.
  • The carrier can hold or move the puck until a real lane appears.
  • After losing possession, turn attention to the new attacking direction immediately.

Common mistakes

  • Receiver waits in the scoring area. Try: reset both feet outside before the next run.
  • Passer sends the puck into the zone before a teammate is ready. Try: make eye contact with a moving teammate first.
  • Both teammates chase the same puck. Try: one pursues while the other offers a passing angle.

Make it fit the player

  • Easier: allow the receiver to enter just before the pass, but still require a controlled catch.
  • Harder: reduce the end-zone depth to 3 feet, making the timing more precise.
Research context & source notes

Background sources for this drill’s skills and teaching principles.

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