Pyramid set

1 player up top.
3 players in the crease.
2 players behind the goal.

I use this concept as a way to possess the ball when we are up on the other team and time remaining in the game is under two minutes so we have to keep it in the box.  

I want the best match up behind the goal while avoiding the potential blunder of stepping out of the box, or even worse dropping it somewhere up top and giving the opposing team a fast break the other way.  Therefore my first goal is to have my two players who draw the short stick defenders go behind the goal with the ball.

As I saw this develop I realized that having the matchup of their 2 short sticks behind GLE gave me a lot of advantages if I wanted to use this to be more aggressive in the course of the game.  The first thing I noticed was the difficulty 3 long poles were having maneuvering in a tight crease area, especially if your crease players understand how to pick for each other.  Therefore if my players behind the goal understand where to look if they draw the slide this offense becomes a prolific 6v6 offense instead of just stalling the ball.

This set does two things:

• Puts the defensive players with the least advantage to strip the ball guarding the ball carriers.

•  Puts my offensive players with the most potential to lead a quality scoring chance behind the goal.

The scheme:

• My two offensive players set picks for each other behind the goal and play a 2 man game in the open area behind GLE.

• The top player shadows the ball so he can be an outlet and be ready to drop back in case of disaster.

• Eventually the opponent will recognize the mismatches and almost always quickly sends a long pole from the crease.  

• If your players are taught to follow their slide one of your players from the crease should quickly pop out and be a threat to score, or this player on the crease can catch the ball and become the player to bring the ball behind GLE while being replaced in the crease by one of the original players behind GLE.

If the ball gets sent up top:

• The player up top can dodge into the space opened up by the set.

• The top middie's objective is to send the ball back to a player behind GLE.

• It might be easier for him to just carry the ball himself to replace one of the players there.  In this case the team can then reset to the original formation and also should try to get the short-stick matchups if possible.

• While dodging, the top middie can also send the ball to one of the players in the crease who can pop out for the ball.  

  • That player popping out from the crease can shoot, pass the ball behind, or replace and become the player up top or behind.