Quick-Up Race

Objective: Two units break out from opposite ends on the same whistle — first CLEAN shot on the far net wins. Speed of release, not panic. Setup: A three-man unit (D, winger, center) staged in each end with a puck behind the net. Goalies in both nets. Execution: On the whistle both D retrieve and quick-up the wall to their winger. Winger touches to the swinging center; the unit races up ice through the crossing traffic. First team to get a shot ON NET wins — misses and bobbles don't count. Losers rotate positions first. Coaching points: The race is won by the first pass — release the quick-up before the play looks perfect. Center times the swing so the touch pass hits him at full stride. Traffic at center ice is the test: heads up, protect the puck through the crowd.