Next Play
Next Play: Responding to Adversity
This week's clip is all about developing a "Next Play" mindset when faced with an opportunity to respond to adversity. Hockey (and life) is full of challenges with ups and downs from shift to shift. Mistakes are made by players, coaches, and officials every single game. Sometimes you and your team benefit from those mistakes while other times you find yourself on the wrong side of them. Understanding and accepting that these situations are guaranteed to happen, it is up to you and your team to choose how you respond.
This example from Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final showcases Tampa Bay's "next play" mindset (a huge factor in their success in recent years). TB is called on a very questionable icing where it seems clear that Paul has both won the race to the dot line and is going to win the race to the puck, which should negate the icing call. However, the linesman makes a tough decision in real time and gives the benefit of the doubt to the Avalanche defenseman, Makar. As a result of the icing, the ensuing faceoff comes back to the Tampa defensive zone. Setting up a draw between tired TB players and fresh COL players. Colorado takes advantage and scores from the faceoff win to tie the game 1-1 at 14:53 of the 2nd period.
Tampa now has two choices... 1. Lose their minds and let their emotions spill over while fixating on the unfortunate circumstances that just took place. 2. Maintain focus on their efforts and the things that they can control to impact the NEXT PLAY.
Tampa chooses to keep their focus on the task at hand and respond with their play. They push back and earn themselves a powerplay. After multiple blocked shot attempts from Stamkos, Kucherov scores on a one-timer to regain the lead at the 11:50 mark of the 2nd period (just north of 3 minutes later). Tampa would go on to win the game and force a 6th game at home to keep their hopes alive.
No matter what happens on the ice and in life, we can choose how to respond. As coaches, parents, and teammates, we are all in a leadership position and need to teach our players how to respond to adversity and set the example of that refocused, NEXT PLAY mindset.
As a bonus, I've also included a video as part of our COACH CLIPS series. This one is directly related to this week's Watch-It Wednesday.
Hope you all enjoy them!
