A player breaks into the open with the puck and starts streaking toward the opposing goalie. As soon as he crosses the blue line and prepares to pass the puck to an open teammate, the referee blows his whistle and the play comes to an end. Instead of a scoring opportunity, the play is blown dead on an offside call. Mite and youth players can practice a variety of drills to improve stickhandling, passing and shooting to prevent offside calls.
Understanding Offside
Before starting any drills to improve offensive play, make sure all players understand the meaning of offside. For teaching mite and youth players, it is fairly simple. The puck must precede the player into the zone. If the player is in the zone before the puck, the linesman will blow his whistle to stop the play and rule it offside. One of the player's skates may be over the blue line before the puck.
3-on-2 Rush
The 3-on-2 rush is one of the primary scoring plays in hockey. But it also presents an easy opportunity to go offside. In this drill, three offensive players skate up ice. After the play crosses center ice, make sure one of the two wings -- closest to the boards -- has the puck and skates across the blue line. The other players follow. The player in the center drives toward the net to draw one of the two defenders. Always make sure the player with the puck crosses the blue line first.
Stickhandling
In mite hockey, you can't overemphasize the importance of stickhandling. When a player stickhandles decisively, he will create offensive plays. However, a player who struggles with the puck on his stick will frequently go offside. Set up five cones on the ice about 5 feet from each other. Have each player skate to the right of the first cone with the puck on his stick, the left of the second cone, the right of the third cone and continue on in that manner. This will improve stickhandling and help prevent offside calls.
Corner to Blue Line
Once the puck is in the offensive zone, it must remain there for a play to be onside. If the puck leaves the offensive zone at any time during the possession, all players must leave the offensive zone and the puck must go in first to begin a new offensive threat. During a power play, the puck will often travel from one of the corners to the blue line where a defenseman will shoot or pass. In this drill, the offensive player in the right corner will retrieve the puck and pass accurately to the right defenseman, and the offensive player in the left corner will pass the puck accurately to the left defenseman. Give each forward five attempts to pass the puck from each side. This drill emphasizes puck possession, accurate passing and preventing offside plays.
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