5-on-3 Advantage? Pull the Goalie

[Rock]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/09/sports/hockey/09hockey.html?ref=hockey

Fans who will watch the Vancouver Olympics may see more than the premier international hockey competition. They may witness the North American unveiling of a radical strategy: a midgame, six-on-three power play.

[adavid]

Didnt Sutter do this against the Canes during a regular season game once?

[J0llyR0ger]

Didnt Sutter do this against the Canes during a regular season game once?

Yea with 8 minutes left haha

[stevestevens]

My largest complaint with this is that although a 6 on 3 is a large advantage, that is a lot of players on the ice.

Also, with clearing the puck there is a possibility to score off of it - and unless the offense is playing frantic to keep the puck within the zone I would concerned over possible goals.

[Prucenterrules]

I'd be willing to do the 6 on 3 if my team was down by 2 or 3 goals.

[maxpower]

it sounds like they practice this, and it isn't some haphazard thing where they throw six guys out on the ice. when Sutter went for those long goalie pulls, they seemed to survive longer than you'd think they would.

[David Puddy]

It definitely seems like something that needs to be practiced to make it work. Most teams on a 3-man PK collapse down inside the dots anyway, so unless you can find a way to spread them out with the sixth attacker, it seems like it'd be a waste. Teams are willing to give up the low percentage shots on the 2-man advantage. One way I can see to use it is to get two men in low harassing the goalie and hopefully draw the attention of 1 or 2 of the penalty killers. I'm sure there are other ways, but there has to be some strategy other than trying to force the backdoor play. Turning over the puck would be dangerous!

[maxpower]

It definitely seems like something that needs to be practiced to make it work. Most teams on a 3-man PK collapse down inside the dots anyway, so unless you can find a way to spread them out with the sixth attacker, it seems like it'd be a waste. Teams are willing to give up the low percentage shots on the 2-man advantage. One way I can see to use it is to get two men in low harassing the goalie and hopefully draw the attention of 1 or 2 of the penalty killers. I'm sure there are other ways, but there has to be some strategy other than trying to force the backdoor play. Turning over the puck would be dangerous!

well, if you play 3 "varying degrees of high" and 3 low, it's possible that one of the high guys can anticipate some clears and be able to break them up or send them away from the net.

I tend to like 4 on 3's better than 5 on 3's (maybe it's just our awful execution of them), so I don't think I would be a big fan of the 6 on 3.

a team like Germany in the Olympics, though, they definately have to play all the angles to have a chance. definately not something you would see Canada doing.

['7']

It's pretty rare to even run into the conditions where something like this can be tried. First you've got to be down by at least 3 goals, it has to be around the middle of the 3rd period, and you have to receive a 5 on 3 which is pretty tough as it is. You've got a big enough advantage with a 5 on 3 anyway why run the risk? Players are so skilled nowadays that they can pretty much lob the puck into the net from anywhere on the ice at any time.