HOCKEY TACTICS ALPHABET

AND SECONDARINESS OF THEIR MEANINGFULNESS CAUSES DYSTROPHY OF INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS OF TACTICAL SKILL OF PLAYERS AS BASES OF EXPEDIENT TEAM INTERACTIONS.

THE FASTER WE WILL GET RID OF THIS ERROR AS IN THEORY, AND IN PRACTICE OF GAME MASTERING AND IMPROVING, THE MORE LIKELY DOMESTIC HOCKEY WILL RETURN THE LOST POSITIONS ON THE WORLD SCENE.

Author's note

Sport games, unlike individual kinds of sports, have a specific feature expressed by presence and necessity individual, member and team actions and interactions, based on individual game thinking. For game development in training process it is accepted to allocate separately physical training on the rink and technique-tactical on ice. A technique of hockey is a way of movement performance, and tactics - meaningfulness of these movements. A word-combination of technique-tactical training confirms initial development of technique of movements and hockey methods, and then, at a stage of improving, adding of tactic elements. However such theory conflicts not only to logic of game, in which game thinking, as a tactics element, acts with technique of hockey players movements and their interactions, but also with laws of classical and sports physiology. They assert that the block of programming, regulation and control of physical activity of a brain of a person by means of CNS and sensory systems acts all its movements. Even initial development of hockey elements occurs with help and under guidance of consciousness and thinking, being categories of tactics. Therefore it is more logical and more expedient to call the given kind of training as a TACTIC-TECHNICAL, confirming priority, a leading and directing role of thinking at a development and improving of hockey.

Hockey players differ with degree of grasp of elements of tactic-technical skill and, first of all, tactical skill since it stimulates improving of mastered game techniques, search of new ways of outplaying contenders, and also it initiates acquisition of physical standards corresponding to them. Continuing regularly and consistently to give to individual tactical skill of players a minor value, we will multiply numbers of hockey players with the limited game standards and not opened possibilities. Not decreasing value of each kind of training in hockey, it is time to define what of them is leading, and what is leaded.
In weightlifting and track and rink athletics it is clear - a locomotive are physic-technical standards of sportsmen, and in hockey? Why Alexander Maltsev managed perfectly well to play with any partners in a national team at sight and it was not possible to another at all or time for accommodation was required? In modern hockey it is possible to tell with confidence the same about Maxim Sushynskiy, who, first of all, has the highest individual tactic-technical skill at improvisation level, and also outstanding conductor's talent of creation during game and for game. Here, that should distinguish hockey from rope pulling. Here like whom boys wish to be and here, that true admirers of game wish to see - hockey performance in execution of masters, instead of slaughter!

The individual game thinking is a basic element of tactical skill of a hockey player, and its efficiency depends on switching speed of visual control from the puck on players. If a hockey player sees only the puck and a stick then vision of a rink is limited by peripheral sight, but if a visual control is on players then a high-grade vision of a rink helps to make expedient decisions. Elements of tactical skill (visual control, rink vision, game thinking, intuition) should be educated simultaneously with development of hockey technique and be leading and directing in this process. If training exercise is carried out by a player or players mechanically or at level of peripheral sight without connection of game thinking there is no improving of individual and team playing since defective not only physical, but also cogitative dynamic stereotypes are formed. Especially it concerns an initial stage of hockey development, because just in it there is putting of movement technique, game methods and bases of interactions. In a given context we will observe classical variants of expedient actions and interactions of players in various situations, with the puck and without it. Special attention I recommend to turn for section «Hockey combination theory» because efficiency of attacking actions of a team will depend on its development Hockey is a logical and rational game which is not suffering needless actions and, especially, not considered. To master and play hockey it is necessary intelligently to avoid receiving a situation as in Krylov's fable "Quartet".

Elements of Tactical Skill:

«Visual control, rink vision, game thinking, intuition».

Visual Control

A person has five sensory systems, analyzing a condition and changes of external environment, surrounding a person. For hockey two sensory analyzers - visual and acoustic are important. The most important is a visual analyzer, i.e. eyes of a person, providing vision and moving of subjects and objects. In hockey a game subject is the puck, and objects are players. A VISUAL CONTROL is an orientation of a visual analyzer of a hockey player either on game subject - "puck" or on game objects - "players". An ideal variant when the visual control is constantly located on players. Beginning hockey players constantly try to supervise a disobedient puck. Here it is important to force youself, more truly, to be accustomed to necessity of a visual control switching from the puck to players. If they do not to work over it then as a result a wrong dynamic stereotype of any movement performance will be developed. Trainer is obliged to remind to players every time about it and hockey players should supervise themselves independently. In this situation a success in development of the first element of tactical skill will be provided.

Rink Vision

Rink vision is monitoring process by a visual analyzer of any part of a hockey pitch and of players who are on it. The longer visual control is kept on players and their movings; it is more time for an analysis of a game situation.

Game Thinking

The game thinking is a process of the analysis of game situations and making anticipatory decisions in an antagonism with a contender. Efficiency of game thinking depends on working quality of first two elements of tactical skill. A visual control constantly and regularly switched from the puck to players that provide vision of game situations, possibility of an analysis of their changes and decision-making on performance of any physical action.

Whether it is possible to educate above listed elements of tactical skill during trainings and games? It is possible and it is necessary, since only they stimulate and direct qualitative development and improving of technical game elements. Here it is possible to mention course speed of thought processes which is genetically individual. But all cunning of a human body as self-regulated system, that it is capable to switch on reflex level of repeatedly repeating physical actions and cogitative decisions, that much more accelerates both decision-making, and their performance. This process is called as development of a dynamic stereotype. The more such reflex cogitative and physical skills a player has, the more its technique-tactical skill he has.

Intuition

An intuition as the higher degree of development of a person's mind in hockey is shown in making non-standard decisions and in advancing game thinking. If a hockey player has turned out several dynamic stereotypes of rink players or a goalkeeper swerving depending on a game situation, he has possibility of choice of optimal decision and performance of physical action. In this case an intuition prompts the true decision, and technician of grasp of ice skates, a stick and the puck of a player carries out effective execution of this decision.

Elements of Tactic-Technical Skill

«Maneuverable skating; game physical actions with a stick and the puck; imitation and pause; actions and interactions rate and rhythm changing; improvisation».

MANEUVERABLE SKATING

Such physical actions on ice skates are carried out for tactical movings across the rink during trainings and games. All elements of skating technique are connected in a single whole and continuous movement subordinated to meaningful and expedient actions and interactions. Opening on empty place, a contender guarding or any zone of rink monitoring etc., demands from a hockey player of manoeuvrability and mobility.

PHYSICAL ACTIONS WITH STICK AND PUCK Such complex physical actions consisting of conducting, handoffs and stops, swervings, throws and blows, are applied to success achievement in antagonisms with a contender and their realisations in kicked goals.

IMITATION OF MOVEMENTS AND PAUSE

IMITATION of any movement it is not full or partial performance of movement, and also false swing on blow or handoff.

PAUSE is a delay of rate and rhythm of movement performance, necessary for that a player or players of a defending team have moved in a direction of false manoeuvre of a player owning the puck.

RATE AND RHYTHM CHANGING of attack is a method compelling of defending players to spend time for acceptance of adequate measures on reconfiguration of defensive usages.

IMPROVISATION is an intuitive performance of a physical action which is not keeping within logic of continuation of a game moment or situation.

Individual Tactic-Technical Actions

«Skating, puck handoffs and stops, conducting and swerving of players and a goalkeeper (1-0), blows and point shots; puck takeoff; positional game; goalkeeper actions; (1-2; 1-3)».

Skating

The technique of skating at each person is specific by its morfofunctional features, but should provide speed and manoeuvrability at movings on a hockey pitch and carrying out of individual actions and team interactions. For development of skating elements at the initial stage it is needed elementary rolling on usual skating rink in any form, with a view of strengthening of ankle joints. From the first entrance on ice it is necessary know a rule - as small as possible to look on ice skates, and to direct attention on any objects round youself. Thus, a correct dynamic stereotype of movement and visual control will be formed. There are some exercises for improving of serial and fixed pushing away of ice skates from ice and correct sliding by a heading forward:

1. Repeated pushing away by an inside of the ice skate of one leg, without a tearing from ice off, another one is fixed on ice by ice skate sock forward. Then changing of jumping leg.
2. Alternate pushing away, not tearing ice skates from ice off.
3. After fixed, good push by one ice skate then as much as possible long sliding on other.

Exercises for development of a run or skating on an arch:

1. Repeated pushing away by one ice skate, other ice skate on an external edge and is developed by a sock outside. Changing of jumping leg.
2. The same, but only a jumping leg does not come back in a starting position to a basic leg, and it is got for it. The basic leg developed by a sock of the ice skate outside, after a push an external edge, is put before a jumping leg.
3. The same. Only an accented push is made by an external edge of ice skate. As much as possible long sliding on other leg.

Exercises for development of movement technique by a back forward:

1. From position of basic stand by socks of the ice skates inside. Serial pushing away by ice skates outside from youself. The ice skates do not tear from ice off.
2. The same. Repeated pushing away by one ice skate and sliding on a bend on an external edge of other ice skate. Changing of jumping leg.
3. Run with a back forward. After pushing away from ice a jumping leg does not come back in a starting position, and is transferred inside for the basic ice skate. The push is made by an external edge of the basic ice skate. Sliding on an internal edge of the ice skate by a jumping leg. The basic ice skate comes back in a starting position.
4. Repeat the same movements in other side of a bend.
5. Two-three movements of a run by a back forward in one side, as in other side and so on. These movements allow speeding up skating by a back forward.
6. Turns alternately through the right and left shoulder at skating by a heading forward directly and on a run in one and other side. Turn is made after easy pushing away from ice.
7. Maneuverable skating. A run by a heading forward on the eight. Skating on the eight by a back forward. Change of a movement direction at tops of the imagined eight, i.e. one spiral of the eight by a heading forward, another - by a back forward. In process of development the size of the eight decreases.

Puck Stops and Handoffs

Indispensable condition of accurate fixing of the puck on a stick blade at its reception or a stop is conceding movement of a blade of a stick on a course of movement of the puck with a simultaneous relaxation of hands at the moment of a contact and its subsequent returning it in a starting position. The puck is fixed on a stick and instant switching of visual control on a partner.

We make handoff of the puck to a partner by throw or blow on the puck, seeing off it by sight directed on a blade of a partner. The stop and handoff of the puck by a bottom on ice is mastered, now we pass to handoff by top over a contender stick blade. Movements on a place are mastered; we pass to development of stops and handoffs in movement under a visual control, more truly, in need of its regular switching from the puck to a partner. Already here a correct or wrong dynamic stereotype of movements and interactions with a partner is pawned. It is necessary to know the following about handoffs: Necessity and timeliness of handoff, an orientation, speed and height of puck moving depends on logic of game situation development. Handoff orientations are: longitudinal, diagonal and cross-section. Diagonal and longitudinal handoffs are developing and attacking, and cross-section handoff is applied at positional draws or tactical puck retention. Handoff should not constrain speed and a partner's movement direction and should be addressed directly in a stick blade. After handoff the puck will not somersault on ice or in air, if player gives it twisting action. The puck is leaded from a heel of a stick to a blade and goes from it with sharp turn of a blade in a partner direction.

A player owning the puck is the ATTACK CONDUCTOR and successful or unsuccessful development and a game situation settlement depends on his handoff.

Puck conducting is carried out by any way convenient for the player, but depending on a game situation. In a free zone from contenders it is possible to carry out conducting by easy pushing of the puck forward serially by internal and an outer side of a stick blade, or retention of the puck by one of stick sides on bends and runs, on turns and sharp turns. Hold of stick at free conducting is carried out by one (leading) hand; at swerving and in single fights - by two hands.

Players Swerving

Swerving of a player and players is applied only in cases of impossibility of advancement to the contender net by means of conducting the puck or handoffs. Swerving for swerving, as well as unnecessary handoff, also blocks a hockey, since leads to possible (50% / 50%) losses of the puck and decrease in efficiency of team attacking actions. Swerving of a contender should make a basic function - creations of numerical advantage on any site of a rink with its subsequent realisation. The primary task of a player owning the puck is, by means of dummies, to deprive of the defending player of two basic positions on ice skates. Dummies concern: movement imitation, false swing on blow or handoff, change of rate and rhythm of movements, PAUSE. For example: imitation of outplaying intention in any side and, a pause following it necessary for displacement of the defenseman towards prospective movement of a forward with subsequent admitting of the puck under a stick of a defenseman and on anti-motion leaving in an opposite side. The more plausible and more natural dummies, i.e. their imitation, and sustained to the end pause, the more effectively swerving is. The visual control at overplaying should be not on the puck, and on movements of a defenseman. Imitation of one, two or three dummies (a so-called swing), with the subsequent pauses, is the basic tactic-technical element of swerving. Valery Kharlamov perfectly can make similar methods, who in 1972 in the first match with a national team of Canada professionals, has dissolved serially two strongest defensemen from the middle of a rink towards boards, and then he has confidently passed on the centre and has scored a goal!

It is tactically more reasonable to beat a contender from a board in the rink middle. This maneuver approaches a forward to a contender net, but in this variant possibility of puck loss more possible, rather than at overplaying towards a board. At overplaying of a player it is enough by any shoulder to get out for a back of a defenseman, keeping thus the puck, and further defending player itself will be compelled to push a forward to net, or to break game rules.

Goalkeeper Swerving

Goalkeeper outplaying is carried out, as a rule, in those cases when the goalkeeper is not in the area of net. Variants of goalkeepers swerving are a great variety, but the main are long swerving with a pause and short. The basic tactical idea of swerving consists in that by means of dummies to deprive of the goalkeeper of two basic positions on ice skates, i.e. to deprive of his manoeuvrability. After physical reaction of the goalkeeper to one, two or more dummies, movement with the puck in an opposite side is made and the puck or got or thrown in not protected space of net. In swerving of goalkeepers equal to Khelmut Balderes - the pupil of Riga "Dynamo" - to meet was not accrue, since this forward of CSKA team and a national team of the USSR was able to realise all single fights with any goalkeeper! And it besides, that Khelmut had some defects of sight, playing with lenses in eyes! The secret is very simple the puck is not under control, and actions and movings of a goalkeeper is under control, has believed or has not believed in forwar's dummy. Here again, as well as in swerving of a rink player, it is very important to own pause art. Here it is necessary to study, instead of senseless bustle and rustle.

SHORT SWERVING

A forward speeds begins swerving of a goalkeeper in right or a left-hand side of net. As soon as the goalkeeper has started to be displaced towards movement of a forward and has separated ice skates it is nesessery by easy hand throw over a stick blade of the goalkeeper or between the ice skate and a stick, to send the puck to the formed empty space between ice skates in so-called "small house".

LONG SWERVING

A forward begins swerving in any side. The goalkeeper has started to be displaced towards puck movement, braking, the forward makes a pause necessary that the goalkeeper has completely finished displacement to a bar and, as a rule, has settled on ice, closing by two guards the bottom corner of net. By sharp hand throw under the top bar the puck is sent to free space of net.

The visual control is on goalkeeper actions. The pause is equal time of laying of the goalkeeper on ice and not longer because otherwise the goalkeeper again will be in the basic stand and will be ready to protect the net.

Variant of swerving applied by V.M.Bobrov

Making long swerving, Vsevolod Mikhaylovich, instead of a long pause, went round the net and got the puck in distant from the goalkeeper an empty corner of net.

Variant of swerving applied by Alexander Maltsev

Making long swerving under the scheme of V.M.Bobrov, A.Maltsev moving behind net approximately on the middle made braking and, returning a stick to a near bar, got the puck in a free corner of net.

Variant of swerving applied by Maxim Sushinskiy

Goalkeepers, knowing swerving variants of V.M.Bobrov and A.Maltsev, had skills of counteractions to these methods. Maxim, carrying out of V.M.Bobrov's method, goes from net not to a near or distant bar, but on the centre before net and scored between ice skates of the surprised goalkeeper.

Blows and Point Shots

Blows and point shots are the most important tactic-technical action of the player because they finish attacking efforts of all team. Effect from technical - "blind" - throw or blow performance as we know a little. It is necessary to add elements of tactical skill and a throw or blow becomes "able to see", i.e. directed to not protected place of net. This is first and the most important requirement to throws and blows. The second and the third requirements are accuracy and force. Accuracy of a throw depends from coordinated actions of hands and an orientation of the visual control of "player's eyes» in a place of net where it is necessary to send the puck. There is full analogy to an aiming in shooting. Besides, still it is very important to track by sight a flight of the puck till the moment of its hit in the net! Force of a throw or blow depends on quantity of repetitions of throws in a purposeful and meaningful mode.

Puck Takeoff

Takeoff of the puck from a contender can be made or by knockout or takeoff of the puck from a stick; or cutting off of a contender from it by means of power method. In all cases accurate analysis of the attack moment and a choice of a variant of takeoff is necessary. To attack the contender tactically is more correct from a bend that in case of failure in single fight not to be won back, i.e. to be out of a zone of a game situation.

Positional Game

Positional game of hockey players who do not own the puck, in a protection zone consists in monitoring of a site of a rink according to the created game situation and classical schemes of an arrangement of players approaching for it. In a middle zone and an attack zone positional game consists in necessity of:

• Obligatory counter motion to the puck addressed to you
• Maneuverable skating with the constant visual control of the puck and players
• To open for puck reception on possible bigger playing space And also should carry out:
• Dummy maneuvers.
• Closing of visibility to a goalkeeper.
• Runoff on a ricochet or on change of a puck movement direction sent by a partner towards net.
• Tendency on re-kicking of the puck after jump off from the goalkeeper.
• Blocking or covering of a contender.

Goalkeeper Actions

In a context of the given work it is possible to give some advises to a person decided to stand in net. Game skill of course will be raise in process of elimination of supposed errors on trainings and, especially, in games, and advises about tactical actions will accelerate game development:

- It is necessary to foresee a way of attack end of a contender: blow, throw, and swerving or bar short circuit.

• Always to be rolled out on a distant throw or blow of the contender, reducing by it a hit corner in a goal mouth.
• In any situations menacing to a net capture to act as first number, compelling the contender to react to your actions, rather the reverse.
• To supervise over defensemen on contenders guarding.

Defenseman Actions in Situations 1-2 and 1-3

Similar situations arise, as a rule, in a protection zone, but sometimes occur in a middle zone as a result of high-speed attack of the contender. In any situation the defenseman is obliged to move to the net by a back forward to be faced to the forwards and to supervise their actions. Directly in a protection zone it is necessary to observe following rules:

• Not to close a review to a goalkeeper
• To guess a direction of the main blow. Attack is finished, as a rule, by the players who do not own the puck.
• The player owning the puck is entrusted to the goalkeeper.

- To play as the first number. In a critical situation it is necessary an attack imitation of the player owning the puck, for the purpose of initiation of handoff and the subsequent attempts of its interception or blocking of the player finishing attack.

GROUP TACTIC-TECHNICAL INTERACTIONS

To carry out interactions of players, it is necessary to know under what laws and spatial (geometrical) schemes it can and should be carried out. For this purpose it was necessary to unite a material on the given subjects under names combination theory and geometry of hockey which consider laws and schemes of interactions, their variability depending on quantity of the players participating in interactions.

COMBINATION THEORY BASES

Or combinations, i.e. meaningful interaction by PHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS of combination theory, is the time interval of reaction, so-called delay, of defending players on actions of forwards. To use the given advantage in time players of an attacking team can only in a case when their actions are made under schemes in advance played on trainings, and, in one, a maximum two, contacts. The PRIMARY TASK of a combination or interaction of players is creation of numerical advantage in a finishing phase of attack by means of handoffs or swerving and its realisations.

COMBINATION THEORY LAWS:

1. The team owning the puck should aspire to the simplest way of the puck delivery to contenders net. Swerving is applied only in case of impossibility of the further development of attack by means of handoffs or in need of creation of numerical advantage.
2. The players, who do not own the puck, should carry out maneuverable skating so that constantly to supervise moving of players and, especially, the puck and also to make necessary positional actions.
3. The hockey player owning the puck must make a pass to a partner who is in more advantage ground for continuation of attack or its finishing. It is impossible to do pass to the player not ready to reception of the puck.
4. The finishing stage of attack should be, as a rule, in one contact to deprive defensemen of time for acceptance of adequate measures of counteraction.
5. Improvisation is admissible only in limits before studied (not less than two) schemes of interactions (combinations), otherwise it will have chaotic character like Brownian movement.

To avoid similar chaotic movement at level of peripheral sight, laborious training work on development and improving of meaningful interactions is necessary.

HOCKEY GEOMETRY

For better development of combination theory laws and spatial schemes of interactions on a hockey pitch in which players are tops of mobile and changing geometrical figures, and the hockey pitch is the limited geometrical space - there is a necessity to enter the term «Hockey Geometry». This section of hockey proves an expedient spatial arrangement of the hockey players entering into game functional group and the scheme on which to act in those or other situations more effectively.

We see that two players do not possess a rink of interactions and consequently have only one not repeating variant - handoff among them. Three hockey players, functioning, form a triangle and have seven not repeating variants of interactions.

Four players form of a quadrangle and possess 28 variants. Five is a pentagon. And they have 56 not repeating variants of interactions. It is necessary to pay attention to that fact, that at the heart of interactions of a team during game the mobile, functional, changing under the form triangle (three players) lays, having seven not repeating variants of interactions, which is enough at skilful execution to outplay any contender. Two players opening simultaneously for reception of a pass - it is basis of a successful combination.

Notice, that two co-operating players have no possibility of choice, but it does not exclude effective handoffs among themselves at a situation 2-0 and 2-1, and also at tactical retention of the puck.

Thus, we set that a basis of a combination during game is the functional triangle consisting of three hockey players. The fourth and fifth player connected to a combination, increases quantity of variants of interactions, but also increases possibility of loss of the puck. Of course the better a tactic-technical skill of players, the more quantity of players participate in playing of combinations and the more difficult to the contender to solve them.

(Classical schemes of arrangements of players in various zones of a rink at game in various numerical combinations see in APPENDIX section below).

GROUP INTERACTIONS with the puck

«2-0; 2-1; 2-2; 3-0; 3-1; 3-2» the team owning the puck, in various zones of a rink depending on a game situation has a necessity for interactions of two, three and more players. For an exit from a zone of protection and development of attack in the middle of a rink there is a set of variants, in particular N.G.Puchkovoy has been thought up twelve for his SKA team of Leningrad, (See appendices). For us the most important are interactions in a zone of attack finishing or in a realisation zone. So: As a result of attacking actions of a team in a finishing phase of attack there are various combinations for forwards and defensemen. In them and between them there are interactions, i.e. functioning. For better studying and development of interaction laws in such groups it is accepted to allocate them in separate section and to name group. A.V.Tarasov has entered the term member interactions, meaning under a member of three hockey players, and under group - two players.

GAME SITUATION 2-0

Hereinafter the first figure designates quantity of attacking players, and the second-quantity of defending players. The zero designates, that defensemen are not present except the goalkeeper. Remember that hockey does not love needless movements, a hockey player owning the puck moves on the goalkeeper with intentions to score a goal. The free player opens for handoff reception on a distant bar of net and by that distracts attention of the goalkeeper. The player owning the puck has three variants of actions:

• Direct attack of net by a throw, blow or swerving
• Handoff to a partner after false swing on a throw or blow
• After handoff to a partner to take a position for reception of return handoff or for bet the puck after its jump off from the goalkeeper.

(It is impossible to be switched off from game till the end of a game episode, and also it is always needed to remember that the goalkeeper will try to play on an advancing).

SITUATION 2-1

The task of attacking players becomes complicated with occurrence of an assistant named a defenseman near the goalkeeper. Game in “cat and mouse” continuous. The player owning the puck also attacks the goalkeeper. If the defenseman does not take up the struggle for puck takeoff - we continue attack of the goalkeeper if he attacks the player owning the puck, we try to do pass to the partner, having directed the puck between the ice skate and a stick of the defenseman i.e. to make tactical exchange with the defenseman, having switched off him from active defence.

Tactical exchange is a basis of numerical advantage playing before logic end of attack by a throw, swerving or bar short circuit.

SITUATION 2-2

Here, as well as everywhere, at positional attack, i.e. with equal number of players, it is necessary outplaying one of defensemen for creation of numerical advantage with the subsequent realisation under combination theory laws.

SITUATION 3-0 and 3-1

The same, as in 2-0 and 2-1. Here it is possible and it is necessary to show ability of good interaction. It is desirable in one contact.

SITUATION 3-2 or hockey classics.

Entrence in a zone with the puck. The nearest player to the player owning the puck is rolled out to it for a back for puck reception. After leaving the puck the forward directs to the nearest bar of net and is developed faced to the player owning the puck for its return reception. The second partner directs to other bar of net and also is developed faced to the puck for its reception. These two maneuvers put defensemen before a choice: or guarding forwards which have settled down about lateral bars of net, or to someone to attack owning the puck. The player owning the puck moves to net, compelling defensemen to active actions. The defenseman has started to attack the player owning the puck, then forward after a pause makes tactical exchange by puck handoff under a stick to the defenseman.

After this handoff near net there is a situation 2-1 and how it play see above. In the given game situation two tactical exchanges, i.e. on one for each defenseman are necessary, but it is classics which does not exclude faster decision. To find an optimum variant it is necessary to know and be able to carry out classics well, to read a situation, i.e. to see movings of contenders and, having noticed an error in their actions, skilfully to take advantage of it. The player owning the puck besides handoff can make:

• Direct throw in not protected place of net, the others on re-kicking
• Throw or blow on a ricochet or on change of the puck movement direction
• Swerving of one or two defensemen

Forward, being about a lateral bar, after puck reception has possibility:

• To score a goal by swerving, by direct throw, by stick statement on a ricochet or on change of the puck movement direction
• To readdress the puck to the player who is in more advantage ground for a net capture. Seven not repeating variants of interactions are possible at three forwards, making game functional triangle.

INTERACTIONS WITHOUT the puck (2-2 and 2-3)

SITUATION 2-2

Actions of the defending player in situations 1-2 and 1-3 we have discuss in individual actions of hockey players section. Now it is necessary to investigate interactions of defending players.

From coordinated actions of defensemen the confrontation outcome depends in many respects. Maneuvering and being rolled away to the net, defensemen choose the most right moment for attack of the contender owning the puck. The defenseman nearest to the puck directs in single fight for having the puck or its kicking off from a forward's stick or forward cutting off from it with the subsequent takeoff of the puck by the partner. The second defenseman should supervise simultaneously free forward, and also to watch single fight development. In case of forward cutting off from the puck to make its takeoff, and in a case of swerving of the partner in protection attacking the contender to start the actions (1-2) described above.

SITUATION 2-3

On the previous page we have discussed interactions of three forwards against two defensemen and how they can be changed. Now we need to organise game of defensemen so that to neutralise effort of forwards. In situations 0-1, 1-2, 1-3 we have found out, that the best way of defence is imitation of attack on forward owning the puck. The defenseman, making attack imitation, compels the player owning the puck to do or handoff or swerving. We remember, that probability of loss of the puck during swerving higher, than by handoff and it is more logical to assume, that the forward will choose handoff. The probability of interception of the puck will depend on a correct arrangement of the second defenseman. Here again we are convinced that possibility of winning a game situation depends on correct estimation of a contender's actions and making expedient measures of counteraction depending, first of all, from degree of development of game thinking. To win or outplay, first of all, it is necessary to outwit the contender. The advancing game thinking is shown in imitation of the active defensive actions compelling the contender to operate under your scenario.

Finishing the section of group interactions and recollecting individual actions of hockey players, you are convinced that division of team game into functional groups is dictated by expediency of a game situation because interactions arise as required of moving of a player owning the puck to net of the contender. If foo the player owning the puck it is enough one partner for a capture of net of the contender - that the second will be needless. If a game situation demands connection of one more or two partners - that interaction in again formed functional group is logically necessary to overcome opposition of the contender.