Coach & Goaltenders GOALTENDER BASICS STANCE To maximize net coverage and ability to move while maintaining balance. Body Position: Feet Little more than shoulder s width apart, slight ankle bend with weight slightly on inside edges of the balls of feet. Skates Parallel to each other. Knees Push knees forward creating a slight bend which applies pressure to the balls of the feet. (Similar to a golf stance or batting stance.) Chest Up so shooter can see the logo of the jersey. (Allows balance to be slightly forward. Increases net coverage. Helps tracking high shots.) Shoulders - Parallel to each other and level to maintain proper chest positioning. Gloves should be out in front of the body creating good balance. They should also be placed just outside the width of the goaltender s chest with elbows slightly outside of the body creating no double coverage (See specific glove sheet). Stick 8 to 12 inches in front of skates resting on a slight angle allowing for proper cushion on shots at stick and coverage of five hole. Never hold stick perpendicular to the ice. Benefits of a Proper Stance: Allows goaltender to be balanced and under control. Proper balance limits excessive and/or wasted movement. Leads to more efficient movement and save selection. Tendencies: Goaltenders have feet too wide. This limits movement and save selection. Goaltenders have feet too narrow. This limits power in movement, lessens lower net coverage, and decreases balance. Poor glove positioning leads to wasted movement and poor puck control (See specific glove sheet). Chest bent over creates poor balance and trouble tracking high shots.
BUTTERFLY To eliminate the lower portion of the net while maintaining balance and recovering ability. Body Position: Chest Up so shooters can see the logo of the jersey. Improves balance and net coverage. Shoulders - Parallel to each other and level to maintain proper chest positioning. Pads Extended to the sides with inside of pads flush on the ice and knees together. When dropping into a butterfly the goaltender should quickly drive knees onto the ice. Butt Up Helps with the following: Keep chest up and maintain balance. Improves net coverage and keeps knees on the ice. Maintains positioning for proper and quick on ice or full recoveries. Gloves should be out in front of the body creating good balance. Gloves should also be placed just outside the width of the goaltender s chest with elbows slightly outside of the body creating no double coverage (See specific glove sheet). On shots in tight a goaltender should bring elbows in and to the side of the body eliminating any holes and forming a wall. On shots from 1 foot away a goaltender can extend arm and angle glove above the puck. Stick 8 to 12 inches in front of skates resting on a slight angle allowing for proper cushion on shots at stick and coverage of five hole. Never hold stick perpendicular to the ice. Benefits of a Proper Butterfly: Allows goaltender to be balanced and under control. Proper balance limits excessive and/or wasted movement. Leads to more efficient movement and recoveries. Tendencies: Goaltenders sink butt back to the heals of skates. This causes: Poor recovery and balance. Limits net coverage.
Separates knees opening a hole between the legs. Stick is extended too far out in front of the goaltender s knees. This creates a ramp for pucks to go over goaltender s shoulders. Sinking chest and shoulders limits net coverage. T-PUSH, PARALLEL SHUFFLE, & C-CUT To get the goaltender in position to read play and choose proper save selection while maintaining stance, balance and net coverage. T - Push: Side to side explosive movement. Used to quickly cover big and small areas of the crease. This movement allows the goaltender to set feet in position ahead of the play in order to read play and choose proper save selection. Parallel Shuffle: Side to side short distance movement. Used to stay square and on angle to the puck. Minimizes holes in stance while moving with puck carrier. C Cut: Forward and backward skating. Keeps goaltender square to shooter while moving forwards and backwards. Allows goaltender to take ice and set feet while not opening holes in stance. T PUSH Side to side explosive movement used to cover big and small areas of the crease. This movement allows the goaltender to set feet in position ahead of the play in order to read play and choose proper save selection. Terminology: Drive Leg The opposite leg of the intended direction. Drive leg used to initiate side to side movement
Lead Leg The leg of the intended direction. Lead leg is used to carry the momentum and weight in side to side movement. Small T - push Same terminology as above. Effective to quickly gain net and ice in small areas. Used to quickly gain ice in the crease and set feet while following the play. Movement should be quick and explosive. Technique: Turn head / eyes towards the intended direction and lead with stick and gloves. Heel of lead leg is brought slightly back towards drive leg then pivots in desired direction. Weight is placed on the inside edge of the balls of the drive leg skate. Lift drive leg skate slightly off the ice after initial push. To stop turn inside edge of the lead leg skate and resist momentum. Set feet in stance square to potential shot angle. PARALLEL SHUFFLE Side to side short distance movement. Helps goaltender stay square to the puck while minimizing holes in stance when moving. Terminology: Drive Leg The opposite leg of the intended direction. Drive leg used to initiate side to side movement Lead Leg The leg of the intended direction. Lead leg is used to balance and stabilize side to side movement. Lead leg offers some resistance to control side to side movement. Used to stay square to the puck when shooter is carrying the puck in tight or across the slot.
Technique: In stance goaltender is square to the puck. Weight is on the inside edges of the balls of the feet. To start shuffle transfer weight to the ball of the foot on the inside edge of the drive leg. Bring drive leg back to regular stance position. Lead leg maintains stance position and stabilizes momentum. To stop, place weight on inside edge of the lead skate and resist momentum. C CUT Forward and backward skating that keeps the goaltender square to the shooter and allows goaltender to take ice without opening holes in stance. Used to take ice in the crease in order to stay square to shooter, maintain net coverage, and be in position for proper save selection. Off post helps goaltender stay square to angle and gain net coverage. On breakaways 1 C - cut helps goaltender gain momentum moving backwards. To maintain stance position while moving forwards and backwards. Technique: C Cut Forwards: Weight placed firmly on the heel of the inside edge. Toe of skate is under body. With the heel cut the letter C into the ice while maintaining weight on the heel of the inside edge. Weight goes out then in while forming a C. C Cut Backwards: Weight placed firmly on the toe of the inside edge. Toe of skate is under body. With the toe cut the letter C into the ice.
Maintain weight on the toe of the inside edge. Weight goes out then in while forming a C. FULL RECOVERY To efficiently recover onto feet after dropping into butterfly or half butterfly position to make save. Terminology: Drive Leg The opposite leg of the intended direction. Lead Leg The leg of the intended direction. Used when the play and puck go to the outside after goaltender drops to ice to make save. Technique: Drive leg is always the first leg up onto the ice. When recovering to the right the left leg is the drive leg. When recovering to the left the right leg is the drive leg. Rotate waist and bring drive leg in front of lead leg knee. This will rotate goaltender on angle. Lift drive leg skate onto ice and place weight on the inside edge of the drive leg skate. Quickly rotate and keep lead leg extended when moving in order to fill space. ON ICE RECOVERY To efficiently recover across the ice after dropping into butterfly or half butterfly position to make save. To minimize body movements. Terminology:
Drive Leg The opposite leg of the intended direction. Lead Leg The leg of the intended direction. Used when the puck/rebound is in tight after goaltender drops to ice to make save. Technique: Drive leg is always the first leg up onto the ice. When recovering to the right the left leg is the drive leg. When recovering to the left the right leg is the drive leg. Rotate waist and bring drive leg in front of lead leg knee. This will rotate goaltender on angle. Lift drive leg skate onto ice and place weight on the inside edge of the drive leg skate. Quickly rotate and keep lead leg extended and flush on the ice in order to fill space. After pushing off bring drive leg flush onto the ice and together with lead leg. MENTAL PREPARATION (Strelow Mentor Program) It is an honor to play this position and with this honor comes a great deal of responsibility. A goaltender must take responsibility for his or her practice and game preparation. Once that is done a goaltender can focus on the most important part of the job - the next shot. Each practice offers a goaltender an opportunity to work hard. Hard work in practice leads to a more prepared goaltender both physically and mentally. A fully prepared goaltender is a confident goaltender. The harder a goaltender works, the more prepared he or she becomes, the more confidence that is built. A goaltender s pre game routine must get him or her relaxed, focused, and ready to face all game situations. A goaltender s pre game routine is personal. Each goaltender must find what works and stick with it. Advice for developing a routine - keep it simple! Focusing on the simple aspects of the position and the game will put the goaltender in a position to be successful. Great saves occur
when a goaltender s natural ability takes over. The simpler a goaltender keeps it; the easier it is for natural ability to take over. During a game the goaltender s focus should be on the next shot. Focus should not be on the end result, previous shot, or future situation. It must be in the moment. Next shot focus keeps the goaltender in the moment and focused on what is in his or her control. Focusing on what can be controlled will produce better results. GOALTENDER EQUIPMENT FITTING The following charts are guidelines (not rules) to follow on how to fit a goaltender for equipment. Due to different heights, weights, playing sizes and brands of equipment, goaltenders should see a local expert equipment dealer for proper equipment fitting. Selecting the proper size of equipment is important. Proper development requires that a goaltender play in the correct size gear. Goaltender Pads Step 1 Note goaltender's skate size Step 2 - Measure from the floor to the middle of the kneecap. Step 3 - Measure from the middle of the kneecap to desired height on thigh. Step 4 - Add steps 1, 2, and 3 for estimated size of leg pad. Goaltender's Glove In today's game many believe that bigger is always better when it comes to a goaltender's glove. This is not true. Having a glove that is too big will limit a goaltender's ability to catch and control the puck. Here are two tips to follow when fitting a glove. First, from the end of the finger channels to the tips of a goaltender's fingers there should be no more than 1/4 of an inch of space. Second, the heel of the goaltender's hand and the heel / cuff of the glove should line up. Goaltender's Blocker Proper blocker sizing will allow a goaltender to control the face of the blocker. This will lead to better rebound control and protection. Similar to fitting for a glove, from the end of the finger channels to the tips of a goaltender's fingers there should be no more than 1/4 of an inch of space. Goaltender Chest Protector The size of a goaltender's chest protector should be determined by the goaltender's height. After gathering a goaltender's height the next step is to match the height with the selected company's size chart to determine the appropriate size.