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Offensive Zone Play: D-Activation Spread

Both D shift laterally along the blue line as the puck goes low, spreading the coverage and opening new shot lanes.

F1F2F3D1D2D-ACTIVATION: SPREAD
F = forwards, D = defence (our five skaters) / Net we are attacking is at the top, our blue line at the bottom / Solid arrows = skating routes / Dashed arrows = puck movement / Black dot = puck

What this is The Spread is a lower-risk activation. Nobody drives to the net; instead both defencemen slide sideways along the blue line as the puck works low, forcing the defence to cover the whole width of the ice and opening a clean shot lane from the point.

Reading the diagram F3 works the puck down the wall — the red arrow. D1 slides across the blue line toward the middle and D2 shifts further out toward the far wall, so the two of them stretch the top of the zone. Any wall pass back up now has two live options at different angles, and both D are still above the puck.

Key ideas Spread the top, keep the line. Movement without exposure — we widen the coverage instead of adding a body low.

What to look for

  • Both defence move laterally as the puck goes low
  • Two point options at two different angles
  • Nobody drops below the puck, so the line is never abandoned
  • Creates a clean shot lane without extra risk

Coaching cues

  • Slide with the puck
  • Feet moving, stick ready
  • Stay above the puck
  • Take the shot that has traffic in front of it

Common mistakes

  • Standing on the same spot at the line
  • Sliding so far you leave the far side empty
  • Drifting below the puck and losing the line
  • Shooting into a blocked lane
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