It's not ALL small area

Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final provided an excellent example of why we need to be careful in how we view and speak about the game. We must constantly think like scientists and ask questions and evaluate the evidence to continue weighing the strength of our logic and viewpoints on how the game is played. We must constantly keep trying to learn more and expect that we might be wrong.

USAH would have us all believe that the entire game of hockey is played in a small area and that our focus should constantly be on training accordingly. The fact is...ALL CONCEPTS & SKILLS MATTER, not just the small area ones. Both of Tampa's goals last night use just about the entire length and width of the ice surface. 

The first one - Stamkos picks up the puck after providing low and slow support to the wall play and bursts through the hole to pick up the puck near the tops of his DZ circle thru the dot lane on the left side of the ice (his own POV). By the time he releases the puck, he has moved all the way outside the right dot lane and reached the top of the offensive circle.

The second one - includes 2 consecutive cross-ice passes across all 3 zones to stretch the transition from the halfwall in the dzone to the offensive circles from Palat to Kucherov to Stamkos (who started his explosive skating route from the top of his DZ circle on the left side to finish the play at the net on the right side).

Yes, both plays begin with two "small area" wall plays, but neither one results in a goal without the larger ice plays and skills that use the width and length of the ice as well. IT ALL COUNTS.

Check out the video clip here:  https://youtu.be/lUIGX6smy_k