INTERMEDIATE 

• Players should be lined up a few metres from the restraining-lines, on their proper floor sides, with one line or the other starting with balls; in one or both ends of the floor.  

• Variation #1 (7 min):  "Player Focused."  The coaches should put a marker on the floor (tape, stick, pylon) as a "landmark" for where the ball carrier should be looking to pass from.  The purpose of the drill is to teach players where to pass from during an imaginary 2-on-1 (actual 2-on-0). 

• Have two players approach from the shooter position at walking speed, the only rule being that players cannot stop their forward momentum or the drill is over.  The ball carrier passes to the other player (near the landmark), who goes in for a quality shot "in tight."  Switch which side the ball starts on halfway through the drill.

• Advance to 50% speed; then back the lines up to the restraining line, advancing to 75%, 90% and then 100% speed.  A key concept for ball carriers as the speed increases is learning to open up their hips when making the pass.  This means instead of their hips facing the end-boards (north-south) while making the pass, opening them up 90 degrees to facing the side-boards (east-west), which makes for a higher percentage pass and helps beginners off-set the tendency to send a lead pass too far in front of their teammate versus "in the box."  

• See Transition Drill #8A for the next logical progression of this drill.  

• Variation #2 (7 min):  "Goalie Focused."  Same as the variation above except the purpose of this drill is to work on the lateral movement of the goalie, so players should be encouraged to exchange a few passes (at least two), while attempting to get a quality shot.  The goalie now needs to practice their shuffle steps and getting across the net without committing too far one way or the other.  It is also a great opportunity for them to work on their reactions and mobility in the net.