Hockey-Baseball: A Unique, Effective Hockey Conditioning Game

Let's talk hockey-baseball. Yes, you read that right. This game uses the setup for baseball to help hockey players enhance their skills. Coaches can use it along with other drills in their hockey workout program to help their players improve both skills and conditioning.

How to Play Hockey-Baseball

The game is played with two teams of five. Defensemen are the two outfielders and forwards are the infielders. They try to intercept the slapped puck from the opposing team's batter. No runner (skater) interference is allowed during play.

Set up three cones as bases. Place first base on the blue line face-off circle on the right side and second base on the middle of the ice far-end blue line. Make third base the face-off circle on the left side blue line face-off circle, and consider the goal line as home plate.

The Rules

• Skater stands in front of goaltender and shoots the puck (like a "fungo" shot) into the field of traffic cones.

• The opposing team's infielders and outfielders intercept the puck and skate in on the goaltender to score in net.

• Batting skater must skate around all three cones ( or "bases") and reach "home plate" before the five fielders can bring the puck in to pass and score. Unlimited rebounds are allowed.

• If skater reaches home before the team of five scores, he earns a point.

• Play to three outs with nine innings. The highest scoring team wins, as in baseball, with extra innings in case of a tie.

Goaltenders should know that 5-on-0 is merciless, so make sure to cover the puck. One way to make it easier is to have one defenseman skate with the goalie to make it a 5-on-1 rush with the ability to clear the puck.