1-2-2 Neutral-Zone Trap

Objective: The 1-2-2 through the neutral zone: give them the wall, take away everything else, and counter off the turnover. Setup: Defensive unit set in the 1-2-2; opponents breaking out 5-man. Walk the steering pattern, then live. Execution: F1 angles the puck-carrier at the red line, steering to one wall and taking away D-to-D with his stick. The steered-side F2 steps up to seal the wall; the weak-side F2 sags to the middle lane. Both D hold inside position at the blue line — force the dump, win the retrieval, counter. Coaching points: Patience IS the system — chasing breaks the shape. Every stick is in a lane; the trap wins with sticks, not hits. The counter is the payoff: first pass after the steal goes north immediately.