A 2v1 coming at you can feel like a nightmare as a defenseman, especially in a big game. Here is how to play it right and what each choice does to the play.
The basics
On a 2v1, your job is to limit the puck carrier's options. As with a 1v1, the most important step is to match their speed and set up where you can see both attackers.
Stepping up to try to steal the puck can be the right call once in a while. Usually it is not, and on a 2v1 it is risky: the carrier can chip the puck past you and send the other attacker in alone.
Take away the pass
You will hear “take away the pass” and “let the goalie have the shot.” That advice is not wrong, but you need to know when and how to use it. Taking away the pass is your first priority. It should not be your only goal, because you do not want to hand a shooter a clean breakaway either.
- Get your stick in the passing lane.
- Stay roughly between the puck carrier and the other attacker.
- The exact spot changes with the speed of the play and the attackers' angles, so some of this you will have to read on instinct.
Pressure the shooter
Once you have the pass covered, pay attention to where you are relative to the net. As the shooter gets closer, your body position should start to put pressure on them. Keep them from cutting to the middle of the ice and from making lateral moves before the shot that pull your goalie side to side.
Eventually the shooter has to commit to a shot. When that happens, contest it with your stick or body in the shooting lane. Try to do it without giving up the passing lane, because some shooters will fake the shot to open up the pass.
Putting it together
This comes down to timing and practice. Even perfect execution will not stop every goal, but it works against all but the best scorers. The key is timing: when to take away the pass, and when to commit to blocking the shot. Patrik Nemeth of the Colorado Avalanche played one exactly this way in a big 2019 Stanley Cup playoff game.
Quick checklist
- Match speed and see both attackers.
- Do not step up unless you are sure.
- Stick in the passing lane first.
- Pressure the shooter and keep them out of the middle.
- Contest the shot without opening the pass.
Bottom line
A 2v1 is not a lost cause. Match speed, kill the pass, squeeze the shooter, and trust your goalie with the rest. Talk it through with your D partner so you both read it the same way.
That is easier when the same D pairs show up every week. If sorting out who is in still happens in a group text, that is what RosterFX is for.
Keep reading: Defensemen: Playing the 1v1 Rush · Hockey 101: Basic Power Play Formations · More Hockey 101
