Short-Handed Survival Drill
Effort & Competitive Drive
Legend
- player
- partner / opponent
- ball
- movement path
How it works
Build maximum effort and competitive drive by defending a 4-on-3 short-handed situation for 90 seconds through sustained physical and mental intensity.
What you need
- hockey stick
- puck
- ice
- goalie
Your focus
Short-handed situations demand the highest concentration of effort and competitive drive because the margin for error is zero , one lapse and the power play scores. Training players to sustain competitive drive across a full 90-second penalty kill builds both the conditioning and the mental toughness to compete at maximum intensity without letting up. Teams with high competitive drive on the penalty kill are significant defensive assets.
Three penalty killers defend against four power play players for 90 seconds.
Every loose puck battle is contested at maximum effort by all three killers.
After each clear, killers must sprint back to position before the next power play possession.
If killers survive 90 seconds without allowing a goal, they earn 30 seconds rest; if not, they go again immediately.
Goal
Success is defending the 4-on-3 all the way to the final whistle without anyone stopping early or giving up a soft goal from lack of effort.
Helpful cues
- Competitive drive means you win every race for every loose puck
- When you are down a man, effort closes the gap
- The moment you relax in a 4-on-3 is the moment they score
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Run 60-second segments instead of 90 to build endurance before increasing duration.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Run two consecutive 90-second penalty kills with 15 seconds rest between, testing sustained competitive drive under compounded fatigue.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.