How to Beat a 2-1-2 Forecheck

How to Beat a 2-1-2 Forecheck

During the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs, I did a video dissection of Ryan Carter’s game-winning goal against the New York Rangers. The video got quite a few hits that night, and I had a number of requests to dissect the play from the defensive point of view. People wanted to know what went wrong, and what the Rangers could have done differently to prevent the goal. So I put together a follow up video, showing how I would have beaten the 2-1-2 Forecheck the Devils were using. Since we’re ramping up for the new season, I thought it would be a good idea to brush up on beating the most commonly run forechecking system, the 2-1-2.

2-1-2 Stack vs Spread
There are two types of 2-1-2 set-ups; the “stack,” where the first two players enter the zone on the same side of the ice, the first player hits and pins, the second player takes the puck (this is the set-up the Devils use in this clip). In the “spread,” the first player attacks the puck carrier, and the second player eliminates the D to D pass.

See our video on the 2-1-2 Forecheck here: 2-1-2 Stack & Spread Explanation

How to Beat the 2-1-2
The first step to beating the 2-1-2 is for the puck-side defenseman to determine whether the opponent is using a stack or a spread. If he reads stack, he MUST get the puck to his weak-side partner, no matter what it takes! That’s where the open ice is, and that’s where the highest likelihood of a successful breakout lies. If he reads spread, he’ll need to beat his strong-side attacker, either with a misdirection or a reverse pass to the centerman, then break out the strong side.

What went Wrong?
In this clip, you’ll see the Rangers defenseman was more worried about jockeying with the Devils’ first man in, than he was about getting the puck to the weak side. Because of this, he ended up with poor body positioning, and got bombarded by the Devils’ aggressive forecheck. The 2-1-2 worked out in text-book fashion for the Devils, first man hit and pinned, second man picked up the puck and hit the third man coming into the slot for the game-winning goal.

Technorati Tags: Attacker, Body Positioning, Breakout, Fashion, First Man, Forecheck, Likelihood, Misdirection, New York Rangers, Open Ice, Opponent, Pins, Point Of View, Puck Carrier, Ryan Carter, Stack, Stanley Cup Playoffs, Strong Side, Ups, Video Dissection

Derek Sanderson: Crossing The Line

Kevin Shea is back, this time writing the autobiography of none other than Derek Sanderson. Derek Sanderson: Crossing the Line is due out in October.

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca – Chapters – Amazon.com

Derek Sanderson had it all – fame, fortune and adulation. Sadly he lost it all too.

Sanderson made quite the impression on the Bruins faithful before he actually played with the Bs. In 1966 with the Bruins mired in cellar of the NHL, Bruin management held an exhibition match between their top 2 Junior teams, the Niagara Falls Flyers, led by Derek Sanderson, and the Oshawa Generals led by Bobby Orr. The game was to give Bruins fans a look at the future in Orr, but Sanderson had his own agenda. He was determined to get into a fight with Orr in that game. He was just making sure the fans would remember the name Derek Sanderson as much as they remembered Orr’s. Despite his attack on the “franchise,” Sanderson actually gained a lot of respect from fans and management for his style of play that game. Sanderson would go on to be a quintessential Boston Bruin.

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca – Chapters – Amazon.com

The Goal That United Canada: 72 Amazing Stories

A moment in time.

It’s rare for a person to remember exactly where he or she was at a single moment in time, some four decades past. It’s rarer still for an entire nation to hold a collective memory of such a moment. This kind of hardwired retention usually results from group trauma — the shock of assassination, large scale tragedy, or natural disaster.

Occasionally, the event that galvanizes a population is a happy one. Such was the case when Paul Henderson scored the memorable goal in ’72, that won the game and united Canada.

This book contains 72 stories that revolve around the ’72 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union. Viewed separately, they are very personal, even intimate in nature. When they are strung together they begin to tell a larger story, a uniquely Canadian story of love for our country and its game.

The Summit Series becomes the focal point for Canadians to express themselves. Their comments are sometimes funny, sometimes poignant, often passionate, and always engaging.Some saw heroism, some patriotism, some a kind of coming-of-age for Canada. Some saw or heard Game Eight from the tops of telephone poles, others in coal cars or cardiac care units.Some were lucky enough to see games in person, either in Canada or Moscow. But the physical vantage point didn’t matter as much as the viewpoint they brought to the event and the one they came away with. It’s a diversity of thought and opinion that reflects the best of who we are as a people.

“It was the greatest tournament ever played in sports. There’s no doubt in my mind about that.” — Don Cherry

“We sang Oh Canada. I started to leave the arena, only to see a young Russian boy in tears with his mother trying to console him. I wanted to stop, and try to explain — but I couldn’t. We were worlds apart.” — Jim Herder

“That didn’t even come to my mind – that I was a descendant of the Russians. I never ever thought of it. It was just ‘I’m a Canadian and we won! We beat the Russians.’ Absolutely no mixed allegiances!” — Walter Gretzky

“…you could pretty well point to anyone across the country and you knew they were all watching the same thing. That doesn’t happen very often in our country, as big as we are and as diverse as we are. But on that day, they were, and whether it was in a little school in Winnipeg or somewhere else in the country you knew it was that kind of feeling.” — Peter Mansbridge

Even Hockey Coaches Have Hearts

“I thought this may interest you,” the email said. In the subject heading was a name, Wayne Marshall, my high school hockey coach. I expected the worst, to see an obituary.
As I read, I was relieved, then thrilled. Coach Marshall was an inductee into the 2012 Colorado High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The son-of-a-gun won top dog.

I tracked down Coach’s telephone number. He still lived in Colorado Springs, my hometown. I reached his wife, “Mrs. Marshall, you may not remember me but I played under Coach back in the early 1980s. I hear he won an award.”

“Of course I remember you, Eric. He’s out now but would love to speak with you,” she said. In 1980 Coach was about 37, twelve years younger than I am now. Back then I thought he was ancient. All adults seemed ancient when I was 17.

I played under Coach my junior and senior years. I had spent my sophomore year as an exchange student in Sweden where I played junior hockey. Inspired by Team USA’s gold medal performance at the 1980 Winter Olympics, I was a hockey fanatic. Figuring that the Swedes enhanced my game, Coach Marshall expected a lot from me but quickly became frustrated. He always chewed me out. “Miller, you’re hunched over, like an old man. Is your stick too short? Keep your head up!” I skated well but my tunnel vision drove him nuts.

A tough fellow, even Coach had a few challenges. “Miller, come here!” he commanded at one practice. “Where’s your head at?” As he yelled a cough drop flew from his mouth. Coach played goalie in college, you see, and lost his two front teeth courtesy of an errant hockey puck. He wore dentures to school but removed them for practice. The cough drop shot through his toothless gap and landed between my skates. I grinned as the lozenge froze to the ice. “You think that’s funny? I’ll show you funny. Skate some laps!” he growled.

One day he called me into his office. “Miller, let’s talk,” he said. “Your passing has improved.” Wow, he finally noticed. “Thanks, Coach,” I gleamed. “Yeah, it’s gone from terrible to bad. Now pull your head out of your #$%& and pay attention! You’re passing to the wrong team. And for God’s sake get a shot on goal. Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while.”

Someone with a sensitive ego would have sulked, but I actually felt complimented. Consider the entire spectrum on the improvement scale. I went from terrible to bad and was on the way to becoming poor, climbing the ladder to fair, good, excellent, then ultimately, awesome.

We eventually connected via phone. He voice was softer than I recalled. “Eric, you played early in my career and I remember those days like yesterday. Except for when I coached my son, those were among my favorite years.” We talked about former players then changed the subject to family. I gave him the 30 year data dump. I told him life was good but complained that Chico (California) lacked ice hockey. “I’m playing in a local in-line hockey league though, Coach. I’m one of the older guys. And my passing has improved… to fair.” He laughed.

Coach became serious for a moment as he explained a near death experience. He underwent emergency open heart surgery one recent Christmas Eve. We nearly lost him. He’s almost 70 now and feeling great. “Time has flown by, Eric,” he reflected. “I’m really glad you called.”

My ice hockey career ended in college. Though I made the All-Area High School Team my passing was admittedly, bad. I didn’t make the college team at try-outs and hung up my ice skates.

Hockey coaches aren’t known for their cuddliness. Though Coach was tough on me, I wanted him to know that I appreciated him. His corrections were never personal. He sought to help me become better.
Very rarely do we express our appreciation to others, whether it’s a family member, friend, teacher, or boss. But if you get the chance, tell them now while they’re still living. They won’t hear you after they’re gone.

Eric Miller is a resident of Chico, California and has written for newspapers in Northern California and Colorado. He can be reached at [email protected].

1972 Summit Series on DVD

There are several great options for 1972 Summit Series fans when it comes to DVD shopping.

The best all inclusive package is ’72 Complete gift set is the second major dvd set about the 1972 Summit Series. The first, Canada’s Team of the Century: The Best of ’72, was a huge success. ’72 Complete will cater more to the hard core fans, as the 8 games in the series have already been released and are already in many people’s collection. ’72 Complete does feature a bonus exhibition game against the Swedes, as well as many new features such as interviews, Hall of Fame coverage, an original documentary, reunion dinner coverage and a feature called Where Were You in ’72?. Judging by early results, ’72 Completeis going to be another unqualified success. The 1972 Summit Series will never die.

That being said, my favorite 1972 Summit Series DVD is a little known documentary entitled Summit on Ice. It expertly captures the thrill and emotions in a very well done documentary. It’s pretty hard to find now, though Amazon does have some second hand options. Apparently it is also on Netflix for September 2012.

2012 Hockey Books

A look at the upcoming 2012 hockey book releases:

Accidentally On Purpose
Angela James: First Superstar of Women’s Hockey
A Season In Time by Todd Denault
A Wild Stab For It by Dave Bidini
Barry Melrose: Dropping The Gloves
Battle On The Hudson
Bernie Parent: Unmasked
Best Seat In The House by Jamie McLennan
Breakaway: Untold Stories of Hockey’s Great Escapes
Coach: The Pat Burns Story
Crosby’s Golden Goal by Mike Leonetti
Derek Sanderson: Crossing The Line with Kevin Shea
Flyers Lives by Jakki Clarke
The Goal That United Canada: 72 Amazing Stories
H Is For Hockey: NHL Alumni Alphabet
Hockey Hall of Fame: Book of Jerseys
“Hockey Smut”
Hockey Superstars 2012-13
Journeyman by Sean Pronger
J.R. by Jeremy Roenick
Leave No Doubt by Mike Babcock
Original Six Dynasties: Detroit Red Wings
Marcel Pronovost: A Life In Hockey
Next Goal Wins! by Liam Maguire
Paul Henderson: The Goal Of My Life
Red Rising: The Washington Capitals Story
Refereeing Identity: Cultural Work of Canadian Hockey Novels
Reflections 2012: NHL Hockey Year in Photographs
Rookie (YA) by Lorna Schultz Nicholson
Selling The Dream by Ken Campbell and Jim Parcels
Sports Illustrated: The Great One
Stickhandling Through The Margins: First Nations Hockey
Straight Shooter: The Brad Park Story
Sudden Death: 1986 Swift Current Broncos
Tales From The Locker Room
Team Canada ’72
This Sweater Is For You
Titans of ’72 – Mike Leonetti
Wearing The “C” by Ross Bernstein
Year of the Los Angeles Kings

Selling The Dream by Ken Campbell and Jim Parcels

It’s not a free ride to the NHL.

Veteran journalist Ken Campbell and hockey industry insider Jim Parcels expose the high cost of pursuing Canada’s national dream in a new book Selling The Dream: Paying the NHL price…on and off the ice.

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca – Chapters – Amazon.com

Selling the Dream takes a hard look at Canada’s national pastime and exposes the real issues faced by parents today; the realities of advancing to hockey’s highest level in an elite system, the increasing costs of playing minor hockey, the expected career duration in each league, and the odds of playing in the NHL.

Best Seat In The House by Jamie McLennan

Jamie McLennan offers us a back-up goalie’s hilarious behind-the-mask look at life in the NHL in his first book, The Best Seat in the House: Stories from the NHLInside the Room, on the Ice and on the Bench.

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca – Chapters – Amazon.com

Jamie McLennan spent twenty years playing professional hockey. Sort of. As the backup for such legendary goalies as Grant Fuhr, Ron Hextall, Roberto Luongo, and Miikka Kiprusoff, he saw everything—except much playing time. In The Best Seat in the House, McLennan looks back on his unique career, from breaking into the NHL, to working with the legends, to life on the road and in the league, offering readers an unprecedented glimpse into life inside the locker room.

• A collection of hilarious, strange, and sometimes unbelievable stories about hockey, the NHL, and celebrity from throughout the career of NHL backup goalie Jamie McLennan
• A deeply personal account of life on and off the ice, packed with hilarious personal anecdotes
• Co-written with Sportsnet’s Ian Mendes

Reflections 2012: The NHL Hockey Year In Photographs

The NHL and NHLPA may not be able to agree to much these days, but they did get together again for their annual photo-book release Reflections 2012: The NHL Hockey Year in Photographs

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca – Chapters – Amazon.com

A spectacular pictorial commemoration of the 2011-12 NHL season that captures the power, speed, and grace of professional hockey.

Hockey is a sport that inspires passion and dedication in both players and fans. Since its humble beginnings on the uneven ice of frozen ponds, the game has brought people together to rejoice in victory and commiserate in defeat. Reflections 2012 presents a year of hockey”s joys and sorrows, all captured by the sport”s best photographers.

Relive the season through stunning images of the NHL”s brightest stars — Henrik Lundqvist, Claude Giroux, Henrik Zetterberg, Steven Stamkos, Nicklas Lidstrom, Evgeni Malkin, and many others. Revisit the NHL Winter Classic where snow fell on the latest dramatic battle in the historic New York-Philadelphia rivalry. From the first drop of the puck to the hoisting of the Stanley Cup, every moment that matters is here.

With more than 150 thrilling photos, an introduction to the incredible year that was, and a full section of year-end statistics, Reflections 2012 celebrates the speed and strength, the emotion and excitement of hockey played at its highest level.

Battle On The Hudson

The monumental spring 1994 face-off between the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers is recaptured in Tim Sullivan’s mesmerizing account, Battle on the Hudson: The Devils, the Rangers, and the NHL’s Greatest Series Ever

Buy The Book: Amazon.ca – Chapters – Amazon.com

Arguably one of the greatest series in NHL history, it changed the face of hockey in the New York metropolitan area through 27 periods in seven games across 13 days, during which Ranger captain Mark Messier guaranteed a game-six victory.

The book presents a definitive portrayal of these two determined teams: the Rangers, an original-six franchise desperate to win their first title in 54 years, and the Devils, the underappreciated new kid from across the Hudson River who feverishly wanted to forge an identity of their own.

This in-depth retrospective conducts an unforgettable rollercoaster ride of emotions that lives in the hearts and minds of hockey fans forever.