Steve Penny, of the Rochester Knighthawks, shares his expertise on defense.

While playing defense, always be between your check and the net. Try to force the player to go to the weak side. Position yourself in the face of the player, not 6 or 10 feet away. Place your stick on his hands. You don't always have to go for that bone crushing hit. Containment is the key. Make it difficult for the offense to shoot, pass or catch the ball. Communication with your fellow defenders is a must as no one can defend alone. Knowing when to switch or stay is critical in defending pick and rolls, or doubling the ball carrier.

Always be on the balls of your feet with your knee’s bent and your stick on their hands. Your head must be on a swivel as a defender needs to know what is going on around him. The most effective check is the cross check. For a team to be effective, everyone has to be on the same page and willing to back each other up.

The short man defense 5 on 4 can be played a few different ways. The traditional box, diamond or rotating box and diamond are the systems. 5 on3 or 4 on 3 defense is generally played in a triangle formation with 2 players up top and 1 player on the crease. The defense has to be active with talking sticks up to try and pick off passes and block passing lanes. Be aggressive on loose balls or dropped passes as this will take time off the opposition’s shot clock. You can't stop the other team from shooting but you can get them to take low percentage shots.

Best of luck!!