In ice hockey there is a wonderful play which is “crashing the net”. For those who don’t know what crashing the net is, its when 3-4 of the skaters rush towards the offensive goal in the hope that if the shot on goal misses, one of the others can get the rebound. It can also be known as “picking up the trash”.
Now while this may sound like an awesome play to make, like any set play it has its risks. If the skaters don’t get the rebound, more than likely those 3-4 skaters will be trapped behind the net and the opposition will have the advantage with only one defenseman left to defend the neutral and defensive zone.
So, the question is, to crash the net or not to crash the net? Does the possible outcome outweigh the risk? This depends on which lines of the team do this and how much faith you have in your D core and, of course, your goaltender.
Perhaps it would be easier to send in one player to crash the net than the whole team. While in the offensive zone and passing the puck between the players, having 3 players on the blue line makes no sense at all, especially when the team on the offense is on the powerplay. It makes more sense to have a trashman (a power forward) set up in front of the goaltender and guarding the crease in this situation, not only to hopefully get a juicy rebound (“pick up the trash”), but also in the hopes of redirecting a shot on goal from the point.
Can a team crash the net in a 5 on 5 situation? Yes. Is it a wise move? That would certainly depend on the skaters. Ideally, the crashing players would need to be bigger than the opposition but also fast skaters to get back into position in the event of a turnover. The risk level is high, especially if there is a question mark over the stay at home player or the goaltender.
Can a team crash the net on a powerplay? Yes. Of course this would make much more sense as there is less risk and the offensive team can crash with 3 or 4 players with an advantage, giving more flexibility. If they crash with 3, then 2 defensemen would stay back, however this is probably more likely in a 5-on-3 powerplay rather than a 5-on-4 situation.
Should a team crash the net? Well, this is obviously not a question that can be answered with a blanket yes or no. Every situation is different in the game but one thing is for sure, crashing the net should always be an option.
The Blue Tongues are on the road this weekend facing off against the Ice Dogs and Bears with a depleted team due to injuries and personal committments. The Tongues solid regular 2nd line made up of Trevor Walsh, Dave Upton and Matt Stubbert are all out this weekend, as is forward Jack Conner and key stay at home defenseman Don Burke.
The lack of depth was prominant in Saturdays 4-1 loss to the Sydney Ice Dogs. The scoreline does not truly reflect the game or how even the teams were, but the loss does show that depth players are essential to a strong team.
Sunday saw a similar situation occur with the Blue Tongues going down 3-2 to the Bears in a shootout. While not a regulation loss, a loss to the Bears is still very much a shock considering they’ve only 4 points this season, including the 2pts they picked up tonight. Andre Selander picked up the only 2 regulation goals.
The Tongues second line has been vital in the recent string of home wins putting up goals and setting up plays. They’re also a solid 2-way line who shut down the opponents while giving the imports a chance to have a rest. Jack Conner, who has been out a few weeks already brings speed and secondary scoring and can play from the top line down, so is very flexible.
One of the biggest losses this weekend however has been Don Burke, who has been absolutely solid on the blueline this season.
According to sources, the Blue Tongues will go into next weekends road games Vs the Melbourne Ice without Walsh, Burke, Upton or Conner.
