Defensive Tips

I don’t know if you are playing 3s or 6s, but here are  6 defensive tips for 3s, some of these will work for both but this is specifically 3s. team defense is the key

1.) it is more important generally to stay in front of your man than it is to take the puck from him. This is true for forechecking as well
2.) don’t pressure too hard out wide or high in the zone. If your man is the puck carrier outside of the dots or above the circles you want to take away his path to the net while if your man does not have the puck you should be defending him from receiving an inside pass. Don’t pressure high or outside unless the puck is loose and you have a chance to get it. 
3.) don’t start jumping out on the rush unless your team has possession with a chance to make a play. 
4) forecheck generally with 1 player, committing 2 players to the forecheck will open you up for odd mans back the other way 

5.) if you’re playing the D position your primary job in the offensive zone  is to make sure no one gets behind you, do not pinch unless you have a teammate covering for you. 
6.) stop the play in the neutral zone, if your forechecker is staying in front of his man, and the other teammates are staying in front of the breaking out players and a pass is made into the neutral zone you’ve now successfully slowed down the rush as it’s 2 on 2 with a 3rd back checking in the play before the third attacker. Proper neutral zone positioning will lead to a lot of turnovers and odd mans. 

Hope this helps any new players.