Backcheck

12 terms

Forwards skating back toward their own net to defend after losing the puck.

B

Back pressure: Pressure from a backchecker skating hard behind the puck carrier. It forces rushed plays and lets the defensemen hold a tighter gap.
Backcheck: Forwards skating hard back toward their own net after losing the puck, to help the defense.
Below the puck: Being caught between the puck and the other team's net, out of position to defend. Backcheckers work to get back above the puck.

D

Defensive transition: The moment a team loses the puck and switches to defense: forwards start backchecking and defensemen set their gap.

E

Evening the numbers: A backchecker getting back in time to turn an odd-man rush, such as a 2-on-1, into an even rush the defense can handle.

I

Inside lane: The path between an attacker and the middle of the ice. Backcheckers race to take it so the attacker is pushed to the outside, away from the net.

M

Middle-lane backcheck: Backchecking through the middle of the ice, where the most dangerous chances come from, before peeling off to cover an attacker.

P

Picking up the trailer: A backchecker finding and covering the late attacker who follows the rush. The trailer is dangerous because nobody else is watching them.
Pinch coverage: A forward rotating back to the blue line when a defenseman pinches down the boards, so the team is not caught short if the puck gets past.

R

Reload: When forwards race back after a turnover to get between the puck and their own net, then rebuild the team's defensive shape.

T

Tracking back: Skating back hard and staying with an opponent or a lane while the other team attacks, instead of coasting.

W

Weak-side backcheck: The backchecker on the side away from the puck, who covers the far attacker and the back-door pass.

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Back pressure

Pressure from a backchecker skating hard behind the puck carrier. It forces rushed plays and lets the defensemen hold a tighter gap.

Backcheck

Forwards skating hard back toward their own net after losing the puck, to help the defense.

Below the puck

Being caught between the puck and the other team's net, out of position to defend. Backcheckers work to get back above the puck.

Picking up the trailer

A backchecker finding and covering the late attacker who follows the rush. The trailer is dangerous because nobody else is watching them.

Pinch coverage

A forward rotating back to the blue line when a defenseman pinches down the boards, so the team is not caught short if the puck gets past.

Backcheck

B

D

E

I

M

P

R

T

W

More topics

Want to work on your game?

Backcheck

B

D

E

I

M

P

R

T

W

More topics

Want to work on your game?