Hockey is a fast-paced, free-flowing game that balances structure with improvisation. It is what makes hockey both chaotic and beautiful at the same time. Stoppages are unpredictable, so set pieces are rare unless they are performed directly off a face-off or during a man advantage situation like a power play.

Experienced hockey players read off one another, adjusting tactics on the fly based on where their teammates and opponents are and where they are skating. This sounds complicated in principle, but many of these plays are quite simple. Once you learn these patterns, it gets easier to spot them again and again.

This is the first article in the Tactics 101 series which examines some of these common patterns. In this first installment, we will talk about the midlane drive.

How the midlane drive works

The premise of the midlane drive is very simple. On rush opportunities, an off-puck player skates hard to the net, creating a work space for their trailing teammates to work within. The midlane drive player will often choose a route that allows them to momentarily tie up a defender’s stick. They will also stop hard at the net, acting as an additional screen or passing option.

The midlane drive can be particularly effective in odd-man rush situations. When executed properly, this forces defenders to make coverage choices, opening up time and space for scoring chances.

A recent example

The easiest way to illustrate the concept of the midlane rush is to watch a goal that was created by it. Let’s rewind a few weeks back to a goal that Eeli Tolvanen scored against Montreal during an 8-2 Kraken victory.

To set the scene, the Kraken and Canadiens find themselves in an even-strength, albeit 4-on-4 scenario due to overlapping minor penalties. The play starts when former Kraken defenseman Will Borgen makes a nice read below the goal line to cut off a pass.

During this sequence, Matty Beniers has followed Montreal’s Lane Hutson down low to support Borgen. After Montreal turns over the puck, Beniers recognizes that two Montreal players are now trapped beneath the goal line. He heads up ice hoping to start an odd-man rush, confident that Borgen will get him the puck.

Tolvanen continues up ice with him, and weakside defenseman Josh Mahura, seeing an opportunity to jump into the play and create a 3-on-2, also joins the rush.

Manufacturing offense is all about creating time and space and forcing the defense to make coverage decisions. The midlane drive can accomplish both of these.

Eeli Tolvanen drives hard toward the net. If he can beat his check to the net, he can make himself a passing option for Beniers.

Montreal forward Juraj Slafkovsky now has a decision to make. Habs defenseman Logan Mailloux has a clear assignment, which is to mark the puck carrier, Beniers. However, Slafkovsky must choose between taking Tolvanen to the net or letting him go and instead marking Mahura.

If Slafkovsky lets Tolvanen go, Beniers could make an area pass to Tolvanen for an uncontested scoring chance. If Slafkovsky takes Tolvanen, it potentially gives Mahura an open look for a shot. Slafkovsky elects to mark Tolvanen. It is worth noting that Slafkovsky does a poor job of marking Tolvanen and finds himself chasing after his momentary hesitation causes him to lose body position on a hard-driving Tolvanen.

With Tolvanen partially covered, Beniers passes the puck to an open Mahura, who now has a shooting opportunity in the high slot.

Slafkovsky finds himself a step behind the play and shifts tactics. He abandons Tolvanen, desperately skating into no man’s land to try to block Mahura’s shot. Instead of shooting, Mahura passes it to a wide-open Tolvanen, who is not going to miss from there.  

In summary, Tolvanen’s midlane drive opens up options for the Kraken forwards while forcing the Canadiens defenders into making coverage choices. In addition to driving the net, Tolvanen also stops at the near post. This is a great habit, and his willingness to stop at the net turns what was merely a great scoring opportunity for Mahura into a sure-goal for Tolvanen.

This is a rough sequence for Slafkovsky because his momentary hesitation results in him covering nobody. His defensive partner in this sequence (Mailloux) is also a rookie who only has a handful of NHL games under his belt, which may have added to the confusion.

Additional examples

The midlane drive is one of those things that is easy to see once it has been pointed out to you. Here is another example from the start of the season where the midlane drive creates space for a forward to score a goal. In this case, noted Kraken villain Martin Pospisil flat out sprints to the net, creating coverage confusion and forcing both Canucks defenders to back off, turning a not-so-dangerous 2-on-2 OT rush situation into a scoring opportunity for Connor Zary.

Returning to our Kraken, watch how Mahura leads the rush out of the zone in the below clip. He sees that he will not be able to get past the two Buffalo defenders, so he swings the puck out wide for Kaapo Kakko and drives the net, drawing/initiating contact with Owen Power on his way to the net. This momentary contact delays Power from stepping up by a half second, giving Kakko extra time to step inside and get a better angle for a shot and goal.

On this final example, notice how in the below play, Yanni Gourde, sensing that a 2-on-1 pass is not available, elects to drive hard to the net, creating confusion and drawing coverage towards him. This opens up space underneath for Brandon Tanev to cut to the slot, resulting in a goal.

As you can see from all of these examples, being the midlane driver is hard work. To be effective, you have to sprint and stop at the net, often taking or fighting through contact to get to your destination.

The midlane drive player is not always rewarded for their efforts on the scoresheet either. Gourde’s drive to the net makes Tanev’s goal possible, but he does not get credited with an assist. Everyone wants to be the open player on the rush because it is fun to get open looks and shots on goal, but without the all-out selfless effort of the midlane drive player, none of these goals happen.

The next time you watch a Kraken game, keep an eye out for the midlane drive. If you play hockey recreationally, give the midlane rush a try. It is one of the simplest ways to create time, space, and offensive opportunities for your team.