This area will be dedicated to goaltenders!
STAYING FOCUSED ON THE JOB AT HAND
Belows link will take you to NHL.com for the 5 Questions with Jim Howard (Detroit Red Wings). This is a great article talking about ups and downs of a long season and how to stay focused on the main goal. Read the article, any questions we can talk about it this week.
Five Questions: Jimmy Howard still working hard
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KEYS TO BECOMING A GREAT GOALTENDER
WORK ETHIC: Never be satisfied. You must always strive to get better. Identify areas you need to improve on, and work on doing so. Strive to become the BEST!
Patrick Roy: “The hardest part of being a #1 goalie is the amount of games you play. Goaltending is extremely demanding, both mentally and physically. As a #1 goalie, you are expected to be at your best every time you step on the ice. In order to do so, you have to be in great shape going into the season and you have to keep it throughout the entire season. The mental side is just as important if not more so”
Maintain a routine for your preparation, before, during and after the game, paying close attention to each of the following:
· SLEEP: Always remember to retain and maintain a sleeping pattern that allows you to be fresh and mentally aware.
· HYDRATION: If you get thirsty, it’s too late, and you are already dehydrated.
· NUTRITION: Always eat properly, especially during the season. If you stray, make sure it is during down time where there are not a lot of games.
James Reimer: “I prepare for every game the exact same way. I do not believe in superstitions but I do believe that to play consistently well you have to have a consistent routine. My routine starts the night before with a good dinner and the proper amount of rest. It continues the next morning with a pre-game skate, meal, and then a pre-game nap. I get to the rink 2.5 hours before the game so that I can prepare, tape my sticks, hydrate, warm up, stretch and mentally visualize what I will be doing in the game.
HOLD YOURSELF ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR PLAY
Martin Brodeur: “People expect you to play well. You have higher expectations from people around you but also from yourself! You should also be able to help the team when they need you the most.
ALWAYS REMAIN CONFIDENT: Most have to actually work continually on maintaining a certain level of confidence and it is not always easy.
Corey Schneider: Always try to keep an even keel. Do not get too high on yourself when things are going well, and keep working on improving the little parts of your game day in and day out. Also, don’t get too low on yourself when things are not going well. Don’t try to do too much or make drastic changes to your game. Even though it is your job to stop every puck and win every game, the puck is going to go by you and sooner or later you will lose a game. You must not lose confidence in yourself. Keep an even keel and keep working hard and things will turn out right.
RELEASE POINTS: Once the game is done, deal with it, and release it – perhaps by talking about it with your goalie coach, parent or someone who relates to what you’re going through – and then move on and get back to your routine.
The responsibilities that come with being a good goaltender are being at your best every time you step on the ice, work hard, be a leader on your team and being in great physical condition possible to handle whatever is thrown at you in a game!
PRE GAME WARM - UP
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5 TOP GOALTENDING MYTHS
Throughout hockey there are misconceptions and myths that coaches, parents and goaltenders have heard about the position of goalie. Here are five of the top 10 most common myths and my thoughts about them:
1. Goaltenders do not have to be able to be great skaters
Not true! Goalies must be wonderful skaters. In fact on a lot of occasions,goalies are some of the best skaters or at least one of the most agile skaters on the team. Skating is more than just speed forward, it is balance, agility and body control on the ice. Goaltenders must be quality skaters.
2. Goalies should have dull skates
Nothing could be further from the truth. Most goalies like a sharp skate. The frequency at which a goaltender skate is sharpened is certainly based on the amount of ice time. But not only is frequency important, but the way the skate is sharpened is critical. Most goalies at the professional, college, or junior level put a hollow into their skate rather than the old myth of using a “flat ground” sharpening. Whether it be a very deep hollow at 1/4″ or a shallow hollow at 3/4′, goalies are now sharpening their skates more often and putting more and more hollow grinds into their skates.
3. A goalie’s stick-side leg is weaker than her glove-side leg
That would seem logical as more goals are scored low to the stick side than to the glove side, but it is not true. On most occasions the goalies’ stick leg is significantly better in terms of skate saves or half-butterflies than the goalies glove-side leg. Why is this the case? The answer is simple, on the stick side the goaltender does not have the luxury of getting the stick involved in many of the saves, it’s the leg and leg alone. On the glove side, the goalie has the ability of using the stick as a crutch as an additional saving vehicle which prevents the goalie from utilizing the glove-side leg as often as the goalie utilizes the stick-side leg. Should the goalie lose his goal stick during the game, you’ll find the goaltender is far better to the stick side than the glove side.
4. Goalies make kick saves
You hear announcers in pro hockey using this term all the time. “Kick saves and a beauty,” but there really is no such thing. A goaltender either makes a skate save, or now in most cases, a pad save which includes a half-butterfly or two-pad slide… but rarely does the goalie actually make a “kick” save. We’ll leave kicks to the soccer players.
5. The best goalies are the goalies that always stand up
While we want our goaltenders to remain on their feet for as long as possible, the game today has changed. No longer can a goaltender expect to make a lot of saves standing. Now, it’s not if the goaltender leaves her feet, but rather when and how. The key is timing. When the goaltender leaves his feet too early the shooter will adjust and go over or around the goaltender; too late and a lot of pucks end up going under or through the goalie. How the goaltender goes down is important because the goaltender, when leaving his feet, must fill space not open holes by staying off his butt and using his pads and his arms to close holes and take away large portions of the net. Yes, a goaltender must stand up more in moving, but now goaltenders must end up leaving their feet in saving. Remember – it’s not if it’s when and how… that’s the key.