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High Defensive Zone: Man Coverage

Pure man coverage above the tops of the circles, with support from the nearest man and rotations when someone gets beaten.

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×××××D1D2F2F1F3DZ MAN COVERAGE
Red = our five skaters / Black × = the opponent / Net we are defending is at the top, blue line at the bottom / Shaded bands = winger zone coverage / Solid arrows = pressure / Dashed arrows = rotation and support / Black dot = puck

Once the puck goes high — above the tops of the circles — the coverage becomes pure man. Every player has a check and stays with that check anywhere in the zone.

Pure man does not mean no help. Support comes from the nearest man, and players rotate when there is a breakdown: the closest player takes the most dangerous threat first, and everyone else slides to fill behind.

Why not stay in the same look as Low Defensive Zone: Hybrid Coverage? Take a simple example. Playing man with two D and one forward low while two forwards hold a zone works fine with the puck below the circles. Now a fourth attacker skates up the wall above the circle. Those two zone forwards are suddenly defending three players — a 3-on-2 at the top of the zone. That is a free look at the net every time.

The fix is that the low defender follows the puck up, and the whole zone converts to man. That one rule solves 3-high looks, 4-high looks, and anything else an offence stacks above the circles.

What to look for

  • High = above the tops of the circles; the coverage becomes pure man there.
  • Support comes from the nearest man, not from a fixed second defender.
  • Rotate on breakdowns: nearest player takes the most dangerous threat.
  • The low defender follows the puck high so nobody is left defending two.

Coaching cues

  • Find your man before the puck arrives, then stay inside and above.
  • Call the switch to man out loud when the puck crosses the circles.
  • Nearest man helps first; everyone else slides one spot.

Common mistakes

  • Leaving two forwards in a zone against three attackers up high.
  • Following the puck instead of the man once the coverage is man.
  • Rotating late so the slide arrives after the shot.
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