How to Use a Ringette Defender to Screen the Goalie

Too many ringette forwards insist on trying to bust into the triangle.

If you can get to the Hot Spot (slot) in front of the net easily, that’s great! But, it’s not easy. Usually, ringette players get checked or channelled when they try to crash the triangle. So, there are two killer options for creating scoring chances, even without your teammates’ help.

One option: create a 1 vs. 1 when you’re facing a triangle. You do this by driving in on one of the low defenders in the triangle. I call this ‘isolating the low D’. Check out this image.

When isolating the low defender, I always like to watch for defenders who are a bit out of place at the bottom of the triangle. I try to notice if one of them is either coming out at me too far, or backing into her net and screening her goalie.

In one World Championship final, for some reason one of the opposition’s low defenders came out a big too far at me (and she was one of the best players in the world. I am still surprised at this). I drove, deked around her, and was able to score from right on top of the crease. You can try this, too.

Another option: if you see a low defender backing up onto the crease, you can drive to the net and use her as a screen when shooting. Check out this video clip of a player who takes a shot while using the low D as a screen. She doesn’t score, but she definitely made the right play!

Light it up out there,
Lisa B.