▁passing , ▁or ▁even ▁keep ▁oppon ents ▁from ▁moving ▁through . ▁The ▁two ▁def enc emen ▁who ▁are ▁position ed ▁on ▁or ▁near ▁the ▁blue ▁lines ▁are ▁the ▁last ▁defence , ▁and ▁must ▁st all ▁the ▁opposition ▁long ▁enough ▁for ▁the ▁w ingers ▁to ▁reset ▁themselves ▁and ▁continue ▁the ▁trap . ▁ ▁The ▁trap ▁has ▁been ▁widely ▁critic ized ▁for ▁reducing ▁scoring . ▁It ▁has , ▁however , ▁proven ▁to ▁be ▁very ▁effective , ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁play offs ; ▁most ▁recently , ▁the ▁Washington ▁Capit als ▁employed ▁the ▁neutral ▁zone ▁trap ▁to ▁great ▁effect ▁during ▁their ▁ 2 0 1 8 ▁Stanley ▁Cup ▁run . ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 4 – 0 5 ▁N HL ▁lock out , ▁serious ▁discussion ▁about ▁opening ▁the ▁game ▁to ▁off ense ▁was ▁held ▁between ▁the ▁N HL ▁and ▁N HL ▁Play ers ▁Association ▁( N HL PA ). ▁Because ▁it ▁is ▁easier ▁to ▁trap ▁when ▁eng aging ▁in ▁obst ruction ▁and ▁rest ra ining ▁fou ls , ▁such ▁as ▁hook ing ▁and ▁holding , ▁which ▁slow ▁the ▁progress ▁of ▁faster ▁players ▁who ▁can ▁e va de ▁the ▁tra pping ▁team , ▁the ▁N HL ▁ordered ▁officials ▁to ▁call ▁every ▁obst ruction ▁penalty , ▁regardless ▁of ▁circumst ance . ▁The ▁prohib ition ▁on ▁two - line ▁passes ▁from ▁behind ▁a ▁team ' s ▁blue ▁line ▁to ▁the ▁other ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁red ▁line ▁was ▁also ▁lifted . ▁Long ▁passes ▁are ▁one ▁method ▁for ▁breaking ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁trap , ▁as ▁it ▁avoid s ▁the ▁need