Hitting the trailer
A classic play that is used at all levels of hockey is hitting the trailer.
The play starts with the leading rusher entering the zone on either the right or left hand side while staying close to the boards. The defender will protect the center of the ice and give the puck carrier some room as they do not want them to have enough speed to circle behind them and go to the net.
This space is the key to the play. Once the rusher crosses the blue line and goes into the zone they stop quickly close to the boards The best way to make this stop is with a spin although a simple hockey stop will suffice. They then pass to the trailing wing or center as they cross the blue line for a shot. Because attention has been focused on the puck carrier the goalie is off angle and and trailer usually has an excellent chance of scoring. The figure below illustrates this play (not animated.) If the attacking player goes into the corner and does a complete spin before completing the pass this play goes by the more colorful name - the "Spinorama."
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.
