Beating the Trap

[Rabbit151]

Teams have been trapping the Sabres all year long. And they will continue to. Some are better than others.

 

But the trap is beatable. If the dump in is done at the same time as forwards are hitting the blue-line with speed, you're going to get the puck first. Once you get possession in the offensive zone, do something with it. The Sabres like to score off the rush, but once in a while they should just go get that possession, crash the net and throw it out front. With a little success and constant possession, you may get the trap to crack.

 

Most importantly, throw everything at a team early and score. If they had gotten that 2-0 lead they were so close to last night, it was game over.

 

One other trap-beater I saw, ironically, was performed by the Devils against the Flyers the other day.

 

NJ comes up the ice and faces 4 along the blue-line, going backwards of course, slowly. Puck carrier comes up the left boards. Langenbrunner started ahead of the puck carrier, on the right boards. By the time the puck-carrier hits center ice, Langenbrunner is at the Flyers blue-line on the opposite side of the ice at full speed and begins to cut across the blue-line (obviously avoiding contact with the Flyers in the area) towards the puck-carriers side of the ice.

 

As the puck-carrier nears the Flyer D-man, about 10 feet from the blue-line, Langenbrunner is about 10 feet from the same D-man coming towards him on the blue-line. Puck-carrier does a simple little bank off the boards, Langenbrunner cuts into the zone, top speed, right behind the d-man, and picks up the puck not too far from the face-off dot, spins and has a choice to hit the free-man (because a different Flyer sees his buddy burned and leaves his man to go at Langenbrunner who is in a dangerous spot with the puck) or shoot. I think he shot, no goal, but great chance.

 

So so simple. Creative, and not a high-end skill play. Simple bank off boards, finding a way to hit the man with speed in a scoring area, rather than retrieving a puck in the corner.

 

Go back you tivo guys or whatever it takes to record games, and find this play. It was in the 3rd period, probably less than 8 minutes to play. I may have described the play a little inaccurately since I saw it once in real time, but it was very simple and impressive. Then, send the play to all the Sabres and Lindy and say, "Try this."

[niagara66]

 

But the trap is beatable. If the dump in is done at the same time as forwards are hitting the blue-line with speed, you're going to get the puck first.

 

I was thinking the same thing. With my limited knowlege, it seems that if the wingers just start flying and the hard dump in crosses the blue line just in front of them, our wingers at speed should be able to get to it first, or draw an interference penalty. Then, like you said, throw it in front or back to the point for a trailing D-man or something.

 

I didn't see the other play you described, but it sounds good.

 

We have superior speed. What we need is consistent determination to get to the puck first in the corners off the dump in.

[Rabbit151]

I was thinking the same thing. With my limited knowlege, it seems that if the wingers just start flying and the hard dump in crosses the blue line just in front of them, our wingers at speed should be able to get to it first, or draw an interference penalty. Then, like you said, throw it in front or back to the point for a trailing D-man or something.

 

I didn't see the other play you described, but it sounds good.

 

We have superior speed. What we need is consistent determination to get to the puck first in the corners off the dump in.

 

I used to play a lot of hockey, I was a bit of a play-maker, and I still play soccer with similar concepts of movement away from the play, and yet I was struck by the simplicity and effectiveness of that NJ play. I don't watch NJ because they are so boring, but I forced myself to watch so I could cheer for Marty.

 

I wonder if they do this all the time, if it was a set play, or if it happened by accident because Langenbrunner wanted to stay onside. Whatever the case is, my eyes lit up when I saw it because I envisioned the Sabres with all their speed adding this manoeuvre to their arsenal. With the Sabres, it seems to be either try to force your way into the zone with stick-handling or dump and chase. We need a set play or two, I think.

 

 

You wanna hear something really weird, I just noticed that you replied to me before I even posted this. Spooky. Oh, now it changed back.

[Knightrider]

 

So so simple. Creative, and not a high-end skill play. Simple bank off boards, finding a way to hit the man with speed in a scoring area, rather than retrieving a puck in the corner.

 

 

 

Do you want to do that now or wait till the playoffs begin? I guess I have no problem with them assuming a simple approach that doesn't show much for the rest of the season.

 

Regardless, that post was one of the best I've read in a long time!

[SabresFanInRochester]

Great post. We've seen the trap before and we will see it again, most likely as soon as Saturday. One thing that surprised me in the Avs game was the lack of penalty calls. With clutching and grabbing, I wonder if that deterred the Sabres from breaking free.

 

Lorentz pointed out that only one line, Briere's, was consistent at getting the puck into the zone. They did a great job of getting in deep and checking to keep possession. I think one of the issues I observed with the other lines-- too much distance between the D and the forwards as they tried to complete passes. The forwards appeared to be crashing the blue line, and the D was not clearing it in, but instead trying to hit a pass at the line. It did not work out too well. I cannot say this happened the entire game, but I definitely noticed it a lot more than I saw an effective dump-in.

[Rabbit151]

[

Lorentz pointed out that only one line, Briere's, was consistent at getting the puck into the zone. They did a great job of getting in deep and checking to keep possession. I think one of the issues I observed with the other lines-- too much distance between the D and the forwards as they tried to complete passes. The forwards appeared to be crashing the blue line, and the D was not clearing it in, but instead trying to hit a pass at the line. It did not work out too well. I cannot say this happened the entire game, but I definitely noticed it a lot more than I saw an effective dump-in.

 

I think last nights game was a simple case of the Sabres not showing up to play. I noticed a lot of Avs beating Sabres to the puck. The Sabres really did not work hard at all in that game.

 

In other news, 3 Minnesota Wild players were seen standing on the blue-line at HSBC arena moments ago, despite playing in Boston right now. Hmmm, wonder what their strategy will be tomorrow...........

[niagara66]

Robitaille has pointed out between periods lately that one of the strengths of our Defense is carrying the puck up through center ice across the logos, instead of up the wing, and that this creates many more options for penetrating the offensive zone.

 

The situation you described above creates a mismatch along the boards with the puck carrier, boards, and cutting player all contributing to isolate one defender at the blueline. This is essentially a 3 on 1 give and go situation. Puck carrier "gives" to the boards and the boards one time it to the cutting fwd.

 

Carrying the puck up the middle makes it difficult, if not impossible, to isolate a defender in this manner.

 

Maybe if the opposition is trapping, this puck handling strengh of our d-men becomes a weakness....thoughts?

[hopeleslyobvious]

I was thinking the same thing. With my limited knowlege, it seems that if the wingers just start flying and the hard dump in crosses the blue line just in front of them, our wingers at speed should be able to get to it first, or draw an interference penalty. Then, like you said, throw it in front or back to the point for a trailing D-man or something.

 

I didn't see the other play you described, but it sounds good.

 

We have superior speed. What we need is consistent determination to get to the puck first in the corners off the dump in.

 

IMHO a soft dump will work better than a hard dump. Especially if you're playing a trapping team with a goalie who is good at handling the puck.

[diver]

I have coached soccer for years and that's how you beat the flat back 4 in soccer. You have your forwards run parellel with the defenders and then cut in on a pass to split the defenders. The defenders also are in a zone and confusion is caused about who to pick up. If the defenders aren't breaking first as North Carolina women's defenders do you can beat the defense. Sorry for the soccer analogies but it is what it is. Sometime you also beat the flat back by a skillfull puckhandler or soccer player dribbling through but in hockey you can play the man more and check them. Make sense?

[ExiledInIllinois]

Calgary is a "trapping team" right? Anybody watching the CAL v. NASH game tonight? How are the Pred being able to paste the Flames 6-3 so far deep into the third?

[hopeleslyobvious]

Calgary is a "trapping team" right? Anybody watching the CAL v. NASH game tonight? How are the Pred being able to paste the Flames 6-3 so far deep into the third?

 

Trapping isn't very effective when you're down 2-0....and so on.

[Allan in MD]

I was thinking the same thing. With my limited knowlege, it seems that if the wingers just start flying and the hard dump in crosses the blue line just in front of them, our wingers at speed should be able to get to it first, or draw an interference penalty. Then, like you said, throw it in front or back to the point for a trailing D-man or something.

 

I didn't see the other play you described, but it sounds good.

 

We have superior speed. What we need is consistent determination to get to the puck first in the corners off the dump in.

As Hopelessly mentioned, a soft dump would work better. Of course this is something you would have to work on incessently with various combinations of players. I wouldn't wait until the playoffs to attempt to spring this on someone. The more you work on it in game situations, the better you'll be able to note how it's countered, and adjust accordingly. What will likely happen is that once it starts working, the opposition will likely drop out of the trap in order to keep another defenseman back to better deal with the dump.

 

It will all be adjustments and coaching.

[drnkirishone]

As Hopelessly mentioned, a soft dump would work better. Of course this is something you would have to work on incessently with various combinations of players. I wouldn't wait until the playoffs to attempt to spring this on someone. The more you work on it in game situations, the better you'll be able to note how it's countered, and adjust accordingly. What will likely happen is that once it starts working, the opposition will likely drop out of the trap in order to keep another defenseman back to better deal with the dump.

 

It will all be adjustments and coaching.

 

a soft dump is kind of common practise. I would think every player on the team is able to do this sort of dump in and forecheck it. Point of fact the Sabres have used it on many occasions this season. The most likely outcome is that the defenseman hang a little further back which opens space just inside the blue line. Which then opens up carrying the puck in or hitting a forward on the blue line with a pass. Just takes the coach and the players to play heads up hockey and pay attention to the opponents defensmen. One of the problems is when a team has quick skating defenseman that can play up on the blueline and still beat you back to the puck (like the Sabres).

[Rabbit151]

Calgary is a "trapping team" right? Anybody watching the CAL v. NASH game tonight? How are the Pred being able to paste the Flames 6-3 so far deep into the third?

 

I watched that game. PP. Nashville won on the PP.

 

 

Robitaille has pointed out between periods lately that one of the strengths of our Defense is carrying the puck up through center ice across the logos, instead of up the wing, and that this creates many more options for penetrating the offensive zone.

 

 

Maybe if the opposition is trapping, this puck handling strengh of our d-men becomes a weakness....thoughts?

 

I think the D's strength is passing the puck from deep in our zone to someone up near middle ice. It's ridiculous to have the

D carry the puck.

 

Mike Robitaille (God love him) was a career d-man. That's how he sees the game.

 

 

I really would like to see the Sabres try some set plays as they carry the puck up the ice.