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Here are a few answers to questions sent my way regarding the #NJDevils Coach Ruff's "4th Man joining the rush".
(Q) When is it a good time for the 4th Man to join the rush safely?
(Q) When is it a good time for the 4th Man to join the rush safely?
(A) Whenever the 4th Man can catch the opposition with their player(s) "caught behind the play or himself."
(Q) What sequence typically results when the 4th Man does joins the rush from the front of his goal like in the above example?
(A) The defending Team's F3 [2] will typically leave the middle ice to angle the puck carrier [1]. The 4th Man's [3] strategy is to gain the now vacant, valuable NZ middle ice.
![(A) The defending Team's F3 [2] will typically leave the middle ice to angle the puck carrier [1]. The 4th Man's [3] strategy is to gain the now vacant, valuable NZ middle ice.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErVZCnhW4AEu4cK.jpg "(A) The defending Team's F3 [2] will typically leave the middle ice to angle the puck carrier [1]. The 4th Man's [3] strategy is to gain the now vacant, valuable NZ middle ice.")
(Q) This is all fine and dandy, but what is the overall objective of having the 4th Man join the rush in a sequence like this?
(A) That the attacking Team's (Red) 4th Man generates a middle lane drive attacking as a 4v3 instead of 3v3. You then have options to pass to either winger [1 or 3] or to drop pass to the trailing FW [2] once you gain the blue line.
![(A) That the attacking Team's (Red) 4th Man generates a middle lane drive attacking as a 4v3 instead of 3v3. You then have options to pass to either winger [1 or 3] or to drop pass to the trailing FW [2] once you gain the blue line.](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ErVVoztXAAAkGHn.jpg "(A) That the attacking Team's (Red) 4th Man generates a middle lane drive attacking as a 4v3 instead of 3v3. You then have options to pass to either winger [1 or 3] or to drop pass to the trailing FW [2] once you gain the blue line.")
The 7pm game tomorrow will simulate everything that takes place on a real game day (morning skate followed by a game at night). The reason for doing this is that you need to jolt the body back into playing games at night. The game vs BOS can't be your first 7pm game in 10 months!
