Case 03 — Inside Lane Closed at Reception
- Case ID: CASE-03
- Phase: Transition / Reception and lane access
- Level: Foundation
- Tags: reception, lane denial, interior, timing
Situation (One Sentence)
A player receives the puck as the interior lane is already closed, forcing immediate exterior resolution.
Environment Snapshot
- Space: Interior lane is denied before the puck is fully received.
- Time: The receive-to-turn window is too small.
- Information: Receiver expects interior access that does not exist.
- Pressure: Denial pressure is positional, not necessarily contact pressure.
Decision Window
- Opens: As the puck approaches the receiver.
- Closes: Immediately after first touch, when interior access is confirmed denied.
- Failure mechanism: Interior is closed before the receiver can convert reception into direction.
Option Behavior
Preserved
- Exterior continuation (wall, outside lane)
- Immediate low-risk return pass
Reduced
- Interior turn
- Middle-lane acceleration
Collapsed
- Any interior option requiring a second touch
- “Catch and attack middle” sequences
Practice Levers
Space
- Tighten the interior lane earlier to show closure timing.
- Provide a small interior pocket to test whether timing or geometry is the constraint.
Time
- Delay the lane closure by one beat to test decision conversion.
- Accelerate closure to force earlier pre-reception scanning.
Information
- Restrict early view to test pre-reception scanning.
- Provide explicit cue to see if receiver can route options earlier.
Pressure
- Use positional denial rather than contact to keep the mechanism visible.
- Add contact pressure only after the interior decision is forced.
Diagnostic Question
Was the inside lane already closed at the moment of reception?
Soft Canon Awareness
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