Средняя зона. Значение синих линий RESPECTING THOSE LINES Much of the significant action in the neutral zone takes place near the three lines that define it. I’ve told my teams, “Hey, guys, those lines aren’t put there to make the rink colorful. Respect what happens there.” Turnovers happen at those lines for a reason. Offensive defensemen will aggressively attempt to keep a puck in the zone at the blue line. Teams breaking out of their end will often use the boards or glass just before approaching the near blue line to relieve the pressure from a forecheck or an aggressive defenseman. The puck carrier heading from his end knows that getting to the red line gives him the option of dumping the puck without getting called for icing, while the defenders tend to clog that area to prevent him from doing so. And when approaching the offensive blue line, speed and skill need to be in sync to prevent going offside, while defenders step up and make that particularly challenging. Each of these areas presents the need for quick decision making by the puck carrier. Is it more important to retain possession of the puck or to regain or recapture a zone? We’ve all seen poor choices leading to problems in each of these areas, particularly at the blue lines. When a puck carrier coming out of his own end is the last person between his goalie and an enemy defender, stickhandling just inside the blue line is an unnecessary risk. Get stripped of the puck, and the opponent will have a clean breakaway. Whether you have a clean pass or not, getting the puck past the blue line and recapturing the zone may be your best option. When a puck carrier approaches the offensive zone, he has options. Perhaps there is an open teammate ahead. Perhaps there is space to carry the puck into the offensive zone. But increasingly, defenders are stepping up, limiting the time for the puck carrier to approach this important space. So dumping the puck into the offensive zone is a good option to prevent a turnover that starts the opponent’s next offensive attack. As is the case in much of what we are laying out here, the situation at the moment (such as the score or time remaining) will likely influence which option the puck carrier chooses. It is easier to justify giving up possession of the puck and safely recapturing a zone when you are ahead on the scoreboard. The temptation to hold on to the puck may be greater as time winds down in the game and you find yourself needing a tying goal.
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