Seeing that the hallmark of most top teams is their ability to transition from defense to offense or the opposite in a quick and organized manner this game is a great one to build this into your team's training. This game is also one that builds a lot of confidence for you players and for youth players, is a great game to highlight the creative side of the game. With youth players, the best way to start out this game is to focus totally on offense and try to encourage your players to move up ice as pass options as quickly as possible. As they grasp this concept you can add some guidelines for them to work with a better shape where the players spread out in a more organized fashion. This game like most TAGS can also be used at all levels, but with more defined structure with more mature players.
First off, the rules of the game. #1 The goals are placed with one on the goal line, one in it's normal spot and the other on either the center of the red or far blue line. Each team attacks the goal at the far end. #2 This game is usually played 3 v 3 but can be played 2 v 2, 4 v 4, 3 v 2, 4 v 2 or other combos that might fit the number of players you have or tactic you want to emphasize. (Something to consider at the youth level is to find ways to push all your players to higher levels with different number combos in many of your TAGS. An example of this is to at times play your top two players against your next 3 most talented players. This will stress both these groups, as the team of two will be under increased pressure and the team of three will be pushed as well).
#3 The goal line and red or blue line define the playing area for this game. #4 Any puck that goes below these lines is dead and a coach puts a new puck into play to the team that is going in the opposite direction ie. simulating a turnover where the team transitions as quickly as possible to get open and up ice before the defending team can get organized defensively. #5 The players not in the game wait on their perspective goal lines on an opposite diagonal ( a coach with a good supply of pucks is also positioned on each goal line to put new pucks into play). The shifts which are usually about 25-35 seconds are changed on a whistle and if a puck is still in play it becomes the puck used for the new players entering the game. Try to change at times where the players in the game have an easy time to leave the playing area while the new players jump into action. #6 The last rule is that a puck frozen by a goaltender or scored is also out of play and a new puck is again put in by a coach at that end to his their team going in the opposite direction. You can also put a rule in place when the players start to grasp the game where the team that scores is rewarded by skating back towards their defending goal and their coach passing to one of their players.
Like all TAGS the coach plays a vital role in stopping the game at various times to point out great plays or players making positive adjustments. You also need to point out ways they need to change for increased success or plays that they to take out of their play as they will not be effective. You can also change the focus of the game by teaching them better ways to spread out offensively (an example is to emphasize two players getting wide and having one in the middle). Other changes might be encouraging players to use their coach as a regroup option when going immediately forward might be defended tightly. Also as you players get better offensively you can emphasize a better understanding on defensive play. However, this defensive mindset (in my mind) is better utilized when the players have learned transition from defense to offense effectively and players have grasped the understanding of moving the puck quickly and working hard without the puck.
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