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Mention the 1995 Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils to someone, and it's typical for the neutral zone trap to come into the conversation. The trap is a defensive strategy teams may utilize to prevent the opposition from gaining easy entry into the zone. It often consists of slowing the opposition's momentum and not allowing them to pass through the neutral zone with any sort of speed. It's this strategy that the Devils utilized en route to a four-game sweep of the Detroit Red Wings in 1995 and subsequent Stanley Cup title.
The trap defense may be used in a variety of different situations. For instance, teams may utilize the trap when skating against a team consisting of highly skilled players as a means of slowing down zone entry and forcing more turnovers in the neutral zone. Teams may also go into the trap if they're protecting a lead late in the game, as a way to avoid allowing good scoring changes. Here's a closer look at the basics of the trap and why it can drive the opposition nuts:
The trap typically consists of teams sending one forward aggressively into the offense zone while having the other four skaters (two forwards, two defensemen) stay in the neutral zone as the opposition moves the puck up ice. The lone forechecker's job is to cut off passing lanes through the middle of the ice, instead forcing the opposition toward the boards or to have to dump the puck into the zone. The two other wingers are tasked with closing in on the opposition as they move toward the end boards, and the remaining defensemen work to stall the opposition until the forwards regroup or capitalize on turnovers.
The two wingers should generally position themselves around center ice as the opposition moves up the ice, while the defencemen should be positioned around the defensive blue line for proper execution.
Though the trap has been criticized for reducing scoring, it's a highly effective system of defensive hockey when executed properly. For more information on utilizing and breaking the trap, contact Rick Heinz Goalie School today.
