Gap Ladder: Blue to Blue

Objective: Build the habit of a tight, moving gap — blue line to blue line at three speeds. Setup: Forward with a puck at one blue line, D facing him a stick-length away. Cone gates mark both blues. Execution: Carrier skates blue-to-blue at 50 percent; D skates backward holding a one-stick gap the whole way. Round two at 75 percent, round three at full speed — the gap never changes. Final round: carrier may try to beat the D wide anywhere past the red line; live 1v1 finish. Coaching points: Feet quiet and under you — a D who's gliding can't adjust. Match speed with your first three backward strides, not a panicked C-cut later. Stick on the puck line at all times; the gap is measured blade-to-puck.