How to Run a Corner Drill in Ice Hockey

The Corner Drill in hockey is a great way to practice one-timers.

Passing and catching a pass are two of the most important basics to master when playing hockey. You will need to be able to do both to be an effective player on the ice. There are many drills that incorporate passing, but it is most important to be able to be moving when you pass and when you catch a pass, since that is usually what will be happening in a game situation.

Things You'll Need

• Full ice hockey equipment
• Hockey stick
• Pucks
• Half sheet of ice

Instructions

1. Split the team in half. Send one half to one corner and the other half to the other corner, with the goalie in position in the net. This drill will be done on one half of the ice. Be sure to keep the area behind the net clear so no one gets hit with an errant puck.

2. Split the pucks up between the two sides, so each side has an equal number of pucks. Both sides will be passing the pucks to the skater, so you must constantly have pucks coming back in to both sides.

3. Decide which side should start first. The person at the front of that line skates to the blue line, crosses it, then turns and comes back into the zone and down the middle toward the goalie.

4. Pass a puck to the skater from the first player in the opposite line. The skater then catches the puck and shoots on the goalie. If you want to make it more challenging for the goalie, you can have a rebounder waiting to catch the rebound or attempt a tip-in on the goal.

5. Repeat the drill, but have the person who just passed the puck to the skater skate out to catch the next puck. The puck is then sent from the side opposite of where the new skater came from, the skater takes a shot on the goalie, and the passer starts skating and receives a pass from the opposite line.

Tips & Warnings

• Always cradle the puck when receiving a puck, otherwise it may bounce off or over your stick.

• Follow through on your pass so that your stick points in the direction you want the pass to go. This will help on your passing accuracy.

• Don't just slap at the puck to send a pass. This will cause the pass to be inaccurate and could result in a turnover in a game situation.

• Don't take a shot on the goalie if her back is turned. This could cause injury, since a goaltender's gear is not very well-padded in the back.

Resources

• Ice Hockey Drills
• Hockey Coaches Corner