Working the Give and Go

Working the Give and Go

The give-and-go technique is a passing play that is designed to defeat (allow a puck carrier to move past) an opponent. The technique is simple, versatile and very effective. It is simple because it only requires the puck carrier, a teammate (usually) and a little practice. It is versatile because it can be used in the defensive, neutral and offensive zones. And it is very effective due to the consistency of results that are obtained (movement of the puck past a defender and closer to the offensive net).

Let’s cover three give-and-go scenarios guaranteed to make you a more complete and better overall ice or roller hockey player.

Give & go #1

The first area that you can use this technique is in your defensive zone, in conjunction with a breakout play. In the upper left corner of Figure 1, the defenseman (D) is moving with the puck and encounters a defender (X).

The stationary forward (F) has positioned himself along the boards to receive a pass from D. The D passes the puck to F and moves toward the neutral zone. Once the D moves past the defender, F returns the puck back to D, and the play moves out of the defensive zone. In the lower left corner of Figure 1, D employs a variation of the give-and-go to dish the puck along the boards and retrieves it himself. This is really a combination bank pass and give-and-go and is also a very effective move.

Give & go #2

Another variation of the give-and-go is where no return pass is received (as shown in the neutral zone of Figure 1). This play requires both offensive players (D and F) to play the situation as a typical give-and-go.

Instead of receiving a return pass, the initial puck carrier (D) acts as a decoy, taking the defender (X) with him, thereby creating space for the puck carrier (F) to move toward the net.

Give & go #3

In the offensive zone, the give-and-go play can be used effectively to freeze a defenseman on a two-on-one to create a scoring opportunity. In Figure 2, the left forward (LF) initiates the give-and-go with a pass to RF. While the defender (D) focuses on RF, LF puts on a burst of speed and moves by the D. RF passes the puck back to LF, who is now in an excellent scoring position.

Give & go practice drill

Start the drill by placing four players lengthwise along the boards, about 20 feet from the center red line—all facing toward the spot where the puck carrier starts. Divide the remaining players into two groups and place them behind each net (as shown in Figure 3). At the whistle, the first puck carrier in each line takes three half-speed strides, and then makes a forehand sweep pass to the first stationary player along the boards.

The stationary player returns the puck to the original puck carrier with a sweep pass. The puck carrier continues by taking three strides and repeats the play with the next stationary player, eventually executing a shot on net. After all players have gone through the drill, exchange the stationary players for players who have completed the moving portion of the drill and start again.

Perfect the give-and-go technique and your opponents will be watching you pass them by—one at a time.

[Found unattributed on the InterWebbing — Bubu]