The Staggered Pentagon Is The System Employed By Laviolette

We have heard of the triangle, we have heard of a rectangle, yes geometric shapes professional sports teams use to define certain systems, schemata, or tactical developments.

In hockey we have heard of the "Left Wing Lock" utilized by the Detroit Red Wings under Scotty Bowman, we have also seen "The Trap" originated by New Jersey Devil mastermind Jacques Lemaire, handcuff many teams.

Lesser successful systems over the years in the NHL have employed one forechecker and two men high, others have attacked with two forecheckers down low using one man high within and through the neutral zone.

Philadelphia Flyers new head coach Peter Laviolette actually employs his own brand of a geometric system.

The scheme is simple and yet quite complex at the same time. 

A high pressure puck pursuit system that maximizes all five players on the ice as if they were moving as one mobile staggered pentagon.

As the puck is pursued into the offensive zone end all five players move in unison toward the puck carrier but in a staggered front loaded fashion.

The center and both wingers converge toward the puck and or puck carrier while the two defenseman follow as if attached to a rope to the three forwards.

The five-sided figure act as one unit all moving forward, backward, sideways, and diagonally in one wave under Laviolette's system.

The hope here is that the opposing puck carrier will be swarmed in the offensive and neutral zones, giveaways ensuing, creating a staggered five-man assault in the opposite direction.

Will the system work with pieces the Flyers currently have? I am not sure.

I do know if the Flyers continue to be undisciplined and take unnecessary penalties it will not matter what system they play.