NHL 2K8: Defending Your Zone

Zone Defense

Style: Passive, Man-to-man

The most basic defense in hockey, the zone defense splits the defensive zone into 5 areas with each defender being responsible for his particular area. The defensemen protect the zones from the faceoff dot to the corner and back to the front of the net, the wings are responsible for the area from the face off dot to the blue line, and the center stays in the middle of the zone defensive zone.

As the puck rotates around, the defenders sag into adjacent zones closer to the puck. This restricts the spacing for the puck handler and clogs potential passing lanes. The defender in the active zone will engage the puck carrier. This defense focuses on one-on-one match-ups and disrupting the puck handler’s ability to find open teammates.

Box+1 Defense

Style: Aggressive, Double-team

The Box+1 defense splits the defensive zone into 4 quadrants. Although similar to the base zone defense, in the Box+1 the center is not restricted to the middle of the defensive zone. Instead, he is free to harass the puck handler in the active zone.

This defense plays more aggressive than the zone defense as two defenders will be challenging the puck handler at all times forcing him to make faster decisions and, hopefully more mistakes. Because this leaves one less defender near the front of the net, the off-puck wings and defensemen typically play closer to the lane in order to compensate for this weakness.

This defense excels against opponents who rely too heavily on skating and puck-handling skills and less on passing.

1-2-2 Defense

Style: Aggressive, Rotational

While also a common backchecking option, the 1-2-2 also serves as a great defense. Unlike both the Zone and Box defenses, the defenders do not play any one particular zone. Instead, while the active defender is engaging the puck handler, the next two closest defenders creep up to the puck handler while guarding passing lanes. The last two defenders constantly rotate to ensure that the area near the net is secure. As the puck moves around, the defenders’ roles change.

Although also an aggressive defense, the two defenders guarding the passing lanes don’t engage the puck handler unless they are certain that doing so will result in possession. Their primary role is merely to restrict the puck handler’s spacing while prevent passing options. There is only one defender that actively engages the puck handler.

This defense excels against players who rely too heavily on passing and less on skating and puck-handling.