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Give-and-Go Passing Drill

The give-and-go builds the habit of supporting a teammate immediately after passing rather than standing still, which is one of the fastest ways to break down a defense in open ice.

Age RangeAges 9+
Duration8 minutes
Group SizePairs, moving through a line
SportHockey

Equipment Needed

  • Pucks
  • Cones to mark a lane

Setup

  • Mark a skating lane the length of the neutral zone with cones on each side.
  • Two skaters start together at one end, one with a puck; a small net or target cone marks the finish.
Give-and-Go Passing DrillAStarts w/ puckBPartnergivegoreturnshotPass, then immediately accelerate into open space to supportPartner returns the pass to the space the skater is moving into

Instructions

  1. The puck carrier skates forward and passes to their partner, then immediately accelerates into open space to support.
  2. The receiving partner returns the pass to the space the first skater is skating into — the 'go' of the give-and-go.
  3. Continue the pattern down the lane, finishing with a shot on the small net or target.
  4. Reset and repeat with roles reversed so both skaters practice giving and receiving.
Coaching Points
  • The pass and the acceleration happen together — passing and then coasting defeats the purpose of the drill.
  • Lead the return pass into the skater's path, not to where they currently are.
  • Keep passes flat and accurate, using a quick wrist motion rather than a big wind-up.
  • Heads up throughout — both skaters should be reading the open ice, not just the puck.

Variation

Add a passive defender in the lane to give the pair a read to make, or extend the drill the full length of the ice for a conditioning tie-in.

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