In hockey, a two-line pass (also known as a dual slalom) is a passing move where a player from each team skates to the blue line, lines up and passes the puck to the player on the opposite side who then proceeds to the other blue line. The team on the receiving end of a two line pass does not have to rush the puck up the ice as soon as the puck is dropped, allowing for more time and space for play.
Here’s a look at what is the difference between a regular pass and a two line pass in hockey.
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Regenerative Versus Direct Play
In a regular pass, each player has the option of either keeping the puck on the move or shooting it directly to the opposing team’s end. A player might skate backwards while passing the puck or decide to shoot it on the fly.
But in a two-line pass, each player is only allowed to use one route with the puck: either the backwards skate route or the direct shot route. This forces both players to make a choice as to where they want to go with the puck, and it forces them to adjust their play to suit the situation.
When a player is on the move with the puck and is out of options for where to go with it, that’s where a two-line pass comes in. The goalie would have to track the puck and make a quick, split-second decision as to whether or not to get involved. This is why it’s also known as a dual slalom in hockey – it forces the goalie to make split-second decisions, be on the lookout for multiple players trying to pass the puck, and track it while it’s in the air. Just for the record, a split-screen TV is not really needed in order to follow this play – you can see everything happening as it does in real life.
It’s also worth noting that some leagues do not allow for the execution of a two-line pass, so it’s worth checking the rules before an official game begins.
Regular Versus Intercepted Pass
A regular pass can be either a shot on goal, a drop pass or a cross-ice pass, which is a pass from one team’s end to the other team’s forward who then shoots the puck on goal or passes it to another player who’s positioned in front of the net. A goalie or a defensemen might intercept a pass before it reaches the net to stop the play.
An intercepted pass is one that is never actually touched by the player who throws it. A goalie might see a cross-ice pass and immediately start tracking the puck as it moves towards the net. In this case, the pass has been ‘intercepted’ and nothing would happen. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a goalie to do this, a defensemen or other skaters might also intercept a pass and throw it out of bounds. This allows the team who threw the pass to continue with the play without having to re-pass the puck.
When a pass is intercepted, it means that the player whose job it is to receive that pass sees it first and has enough time to get rid of it before the play continues. The pass cannot be caught bare-handed as this is considered a minor penalty, at worst. If the passer is not aware that they are being tracked by the player attempting to intercept the pass, they could be given a minor penalty for careless handling of the puck. This usually results in a stoppage of play as the officials need to figure out who has the puck and where it is going – not exactly the most exciting play in the world when it is so obvious who has the puck and where they are going with it.
Single Versus Multiple Players
The single player is the player who is the sole carrier of the puck while they are on the ice. This can be a difficult role to fill, as there is only one ball and it’s up to the player to make the right decision at all times. While there are certainly advantages to having only one player with the puck at a time, there are also some disadvantages. For instance, let’s say there is a clearing error in the defensive zone and one of your defenseman accidentally pushes the puck into the corner. You can’t really tell where the puck is going to be until it’s too late because there is only one person with it. Another disadvantage to having just one player with the puck is that if they make a mistake, everyone around them will be affected. For instance, if a winger decides to deke the defensemen, the other players around them will be forced to either try to grab the puck or get out of the way because they don’t want to get run over by a runaway truck.
A player who is ‘heeled’ by a teammate is generally considered to be in the position that they are not allowed to handle the puck. In the event of a rush, a player who is heeled is generally expected to drop the puck to a teammate who is not, thereby allowing them to skate towards the opposing net. The player who is heeled does not have the option of turning and retrieving the puck, but must continue to play in its intended direction. While rare, this can lead to some embarrassing moments for players who are not used to playing in tight spaces – usually involving some sort of skater’s fall.
Multiple players are allowed to be in the same area as long as they are not competing for the puck and are simply there for the play. This means that if one of the players wants to pass the puck to a different one, they are free to do so as long as the other player does not attempt to stop them. The potential for a serious injury is present anytime there are multiple players on the rink, whether due to an aggressive hit or a simple fall.
Let’s say both teams are inside their own zone and decide to go for a skater-on-skater hit. The two forwards from each team skate towards one another and meet in the center of the ice. One of the players initiates the hit by raising their elbow and the other tries to get out of the way. In this case, the hit is legal but it’s a very dangerous play and it leads to injuries more often than not. In the event that the hit is not legal, both players could be flagged and given penalty – it really is that simple.
No Escapades Allowed
Last but not least, let’s not even talk about what would happen if a player decides to dribble the puck into the corner and have some fun. While it is perfectly legal to do this, in most cases it is done at your own risk. If a player is dribbling the puck and does not intend on making any sort of pass, it is usually acceptable for the defense to come at them with a hit. In this particular case, the defensemen would likely not even need to touch the player who is dribbling the puck as they would most likely stop it with their stick anyways. After all, that’s the whole point of dribbling the puck – to beat the defense into jumping and making a mistake.
As you can see above, a two-line pass is a very special play and it takes some serious planning in order to pull it off successfully. But once it works, the results are incredible – both teams have multiple skaters who are all moving at the same pace while the play is alive in the offensive zone. It’s a great way to bring a completely new element to your team’s game and it can only help you in being more successful on the ice.