Hockey plays you need to know
                Starting the Power Play
         (Using the "Express Lane")

Starting the power play effectively is one play most adult recreational teams do poorly.  The play diagramed here is a simple and effective way to gain the one player advantage immediately for an effective power play.  It is a simple break-out play that starts out behind the offensive team's goal.

The play starts in the defensive zone with one of the Defenders gaining control of the puck and retreating behind the net.  The wings next skate toward their own net and cut around the circles picking up speed and head toward the neutral zone.

The D or a play-making forward then skates straight out of the zone toward the other team's center or lead fore-checker.  Because the D is now a threat the lead fore-checker must cover the D.  Because most teams form a defensive diamond when they are down one player, they will have one of their D's deep in their own zone.  This means that the attacking team will have one of the wings now uncovered.  The power play's team D now passes quickly to the uncovered wing and that wing enters the zone at a high speed - usually with enough speed to enter the offensive zone and to be in a good position to set up the power play.

Because the wings pick up so much speed as they cut around the circles in their own end, this play is sometimes called the "express lane."

You can watch these plays on your computer or you can learn about them on the ice.  Attend Lifetime Hockey's schools in Minnesota and really improve your play.  Click here and find out more.