Hockey drill

1on1 – transition and breakout

A smooth sequence: receive on the move, shoot, make the first breakout pass, then finish with a 1-on-1 and gap control. For U9 and U11/U12 players.

Category: Skills and tactics
Levels: U9 · U11/U12

Hockey drill diagram: 1on1 – transition and breakout

1on1
gap control
half-ice
passing
breakout
station

How it runs

This is what your players need to understand before the puck moves.

F line up in the corner without pucks, D line up inside with pucks.

On the whistle, F skates up the boards, receives a pass from D, goes around the top of the circle and takes a shot.

After the shot, F stays facing the play and continues moving. D picks up another puck, skates around the net and makes a breakout pass to F.

F accelerates into the neutral zone, goes around a cone near the red line, while D follows, transitions near the blue line and closes the gap. The drill finishes with a 1on1 back to the net.

Focus on receiving in motion, quick transitions, clean first pass and proper gap control.

Coach Steve's take

Watch the first breakout pass. It starts the whole sequence, and it is where young players rush. A defender who takes one second to lift his head makes a better pass than one who hurries. Remind them that speed comes after accuracy. And if the final 1-on-1 looks ordinary, look at the pass that came before it first.