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Four Rotations Case Study

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As discussed, note G3 is not in the mix.
The start of the rotation up front depends on what forward line was on the ice when we took the penalty. Go to the next pairing that was not on the ice and rotate from there.
● One word of caution - this table only works if the rotation is Blue, Red and Gold. If the rotation switches to Blue, Gold, Red, then the table must change also. It is simple to do and to write into your notebook in case the line order changes during a game. If you have four forward lines, keeping the same relative rotation is easier but again, be prepared in your notebook for those changes. The bright side is you only have to do this planning once at the start of the season, unless you change the combination of the personnel …show more content…

Life, however, is not so rosy. Sometimes four rotations are impossible. To plan for that case, use critical thinking. As Emeril would say, “Let’s kick it up a notch!” The ideal is four rotations but four can be difficult if the opposition has applied heavy pressure in our defensive end or the penalty occurs in the second period. Even in tough situations, however, it is usually possible to have three pairs of penalty killers in during a penalty. If the puck is not in our zone when the penalty ends, having three rotations is not a great problem. If a forward comes out of the box, the third penalty killing pair would change on the fly with the remainder of that forward’s line. In fact, if the third pair goes out late in the penalty, skip the normal rotation pair and put in the boys who are line mates for the man completing the penalty. There will be no need to change on the …show more content…

Hockey is a defensive game and I want to take no chances in our end. I will do anything to have the best combination of people on the ice if the puck is in our zone. To do that, I must consider who is in the box and mentally ask what penalty killing pair would match best with him if I cannot have him on his normal line when the penalty ends. If he is a left wing, for instance, I might place a third penalty killing pair on the ice that is missing a left wing or switch some position assignments to ensure the penalized player properly fits on a line up front. I am not assuming there will be three rotations. I am still shooting for the ideal four. This is a decision made early in the penalty and is a measure of insurance in case the opposition traps our third pair and they cannot skate to the bench for a player

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