1. Think defense first and offense only when in full control of the puck.
2. Keep your head up and take the man first and then the puck. Take the offensive man out after he has passed the puck to eliminate a return pass.
3. Only one man moves to cover the point. If two men move to the point, the second man should drop back on the board side. Keep the head up when moving to the point and don't let the defenseman move around you.
4. Cover the slot at all times. Move to a man coming from behind the net only when he is a direct threat to score.
5. One defenseman should always be in front of the net and control any player in the low slot area. The defenseman should face up ice and be aware of players in front of the net. To watch the play in the corner, the defenseman should turn his head but keep the body squared up ice. The defenseman should not turn his back from the slot area unless a player is coming from behind the net and is a direct threat to score.
6. When the defenseman has the puck just inside the blueline and is being pressured, he should dump the puck out over he blueline on the board side.
7. When experiencing difficulty in moving the puck out under pressure, freeze or ice the puck to get a face-off.
8. Never pass the puck rink wide or through the center in your own end.
9. Never pass the puck up the middle in your own zone unless you are 100 percent sure. Pass to the winger on the boards or a defenseman in the corner if in doubt.
10. Never pass the puck without looking in your own zone. The man must be there.
11. Don't shoot the puck around the boards unless a man is in position or the puck has been shot in directly and the far side offensive defenseman in the corner if in doubt.
12. Never go backward in your own zone unless on a power play.
13. Never allow your team to be out-numbered in the defensive zone, i.e., forwards up too high.

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