1. Try to position yourself so you are facing the play at all times.
2. Pick up the back check in center ice - position yourself inside and feel contact. - Stay with the back check into your defensive zone as long as he is an offensive threat.
3. Do not tie up with an opponent in front of the net until it looks like he will get the puck or already has it.
4. When clearing the puck in front of the net, try to clear diagonally to corner and to the same side the puck is in. - Put something on your clearing so it will not be deflected.
5. Defense men should keep their stick on ice and directly out in front.
6. Try always to maintain your position between your man and your goal.
7. When "braking the puck" out of your defensive zone, if you have a choice bring it out the side it is on.
8. In back checking it is more important to "tie the loose wing down" than to try to stop the man with the puck.
9. "Offside wing" (wing on other side from puck) should stop 15-20 feet out from net post on his side and is the back checker.
10. Defense against a one man rush should force the play and man on side puck is on to hold the play out - partner drops back to cover zone in front of net.
11. Defense on a 2-man rush plays man to man. Position yourself "shoulder on shoulder" in lining up your man.
12. Defense on a 3-man rush, skate back in diamond pattern - protect the outside and "invite" the middle. Halfway back man on side of puck "force" them to do something.

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