Another fantastic video. Thank you! I try to use the crossover only when accelerating to match speed and then adjust directional changes with the soft drag. Crossing over while the attacker is coming at you is an easy way to get crossed up and they go right around you. The soft drag also works awesome as a transition into a backwards crossover. This maintains momentum and makes for a smooth transition into forward skating. I started skating out as an adult and don't notice doing things until something in your videos comes up and I'm pointing and yelling at the screen with excitement. Thank you!
It's such an awesome technique that complements the forward direction nicely. It does require a lot of strength of the supporting leg tho' and the direction change is much faster going backwards. I'll try and dedicate a lot of hours on this technique in the coming season. Great content as always.
I play Defense in pretty much the lowest grade in the world I reckon, (D grade in Australia). The trouble I have is that when a forward is approaching, they will frequently just lose the puck or, not know what to do, try to shoot and miss the puck, heaps of random stuff. You can't guage what they're gonna do because they themselves don't know what they're gonna do! So if you try to play like a normal Defenseman with the assumption that "this player is going to try to skate around me or pass or shoot" It just doesn't work. So you end up just standing there 90% the time waiting for them to attempt to skate into your zone, thinking, "should i go get the puck off this person or am i taking a risk possibly ending up on the wrong side of the puck in doing that? " I like the idea of soft dragging toward them, I'm gonna try that in tonight's game.
I find playing D, defending offensive players, is a lot about patience, especially in the lower levels. Wait til they make a mistake, then capitalize. If in doubt, be conservative, you should have supporting players coming back eventually to help
I recognize this comment is a year old, but one thing that you can do is try to force their hand. Especially when you are against someone less skilled you can take control of the play. Gap up on them as they approach the blue line. Don't overcommit and allow them to get past you, don't try to strip the puck as your number one goal, just close up on them and have them make a play that YOU dictate the timing of rather than them. The blue line is a natural engagement point because the attacking team must cross it in an onside position. You're forcing them into a nifty move with speed (again, don't overcommit. Maybe they're niftier than you think, or lucky), a clumsy move that will likely result in a turnover or offside call on their teammates, or a dump-in which leads to an advantaged puck retrieval for your partner.
