Pinch or Peel

Objective: Give the offensive-blue-line D a real read: kill the wall exit with a pinch, or peel and live to defend. Setup: Opponent D rims breakout pucks to their wall winger. Our D holds the offensive blue line; F3 hovers ready to cover. Execution: The rim comes up the wall; the winger receives it at the half-wall. Clean catch, winger facing up-ice = PEEL: D retreats with a good gap. Bobbled puck or back turned = PINCH: D closes down the wall and ends the play; F3 fills behind him. Coaching points: Half pinches are odd-man rushes against — commit fully or not at all. Read the winger's blade and feet, not the puck: his body tells you first. F3's cover skate starts WITH the pinch, not after the puck squirts.