Fukami Breakout Warm-up Drill

Fukami Breakout Warm-up Drill

The Fukami Breakout Warm-up Drill is a great drill to get everybody moving. It incorporates a little bit of everything, and even involves the goalies in the play. Here’s the diagram:

Fukami Breakout Warm-up

1. On the whistle, forward dumps a puck on net
2. Goalie sets the the puck up for the defenseman, who has skated back to retrieve it
3. Forward times his/her skating, and explodes through the middle to receive a pass from the defenseman, then shoots

Variation: The forward can delay in the corner, then make a pass to the defenseman for a shot on net. (Not shown)

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: Breakout, Defenseman, Goalies, Little Bit, Practice Plan, Puck, Variation, Whistle

Goaltending the Tretiak Way

Goaltending the Tretiak way
By James Baxter
Nov 5, 2001, 19:34

©BBS

The following article is based on a two videotape series from the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Center for Hockey Excellence. The tapes include an extensive interview with Vladislav Tretiak—the only Soviet player ever elected to the Hall—and excerpts from a Tretiak-run goalie clinic.

Vladislav Tretiak seems to believe that goalies are born, good goalies are coached, and the great goalies make themselves.

It is a strange philosophy for a man who makes his living coaching Ed Belfour of the Chicago Blackhawks, arguably the NHL’s top goaltender for the past five seasons. But even one of the greatest butterfly goaltenders of the last half century admits there is only so much he can do to make Belfour any better.

“A goaltender is a special player and he must be his own coach,” says the former star of the Soviet Union’s Red Army team. “Then he will be a good player.

“I would think a good time for a goalie to start is at about six years old,” Tretiak says, adding that a child can never be pushed to play goal. “He must love hockey…love it. He must listen to his coach and be able to learn. And he must be the kind of player who likes to work hard.”

Tretiak always worked hard, and, having been blessed with tremendous athletic ability and a terrier’s tenacity, he admits one of his toughest battles was against his own fears.

“Only fools are not afraid (of the puck), and I am not crazy,” says Tretiak with a deadly serious stare. “Especially in practice, as you are likely to not be paying as close attention. During a game, you can stop a puck with your bare face. If you are focused (in a game), you just don’t stop to think you could get injured. You forget everything in a game. You just stop the puck. In practice, you might let down.”

Two masters

Tretiak’s tale is one of a diligent young man; two driven task masters; World Championships; Olympic Gold Medals, and a Canada Cup. During his tenure as goaltender for the Red Army Team between 1972 and 1985, Tretiak played for coaches Anatoly Tarasov and Viktor Tikhonov. Tretiak says Tarasov made him strong, but Tikhonov made him resilient.

As a rule, butterfly-style goaltenders—which in essence means they drop their knees inward toward the ice to make stops—do not tend to have the longevity of stand-up style goaltenders. The first reason may be that butterfly-style netminders depend on their reflexes much more than their stand-up counterparts do, and age just has a way of eroding these reactions. More visible, though, is the physical toll that the position takes on the player, especially his legs.

“For the first few years after I came up from junior, Tarasov used to make me go along the blueline jumping back and forth in full equipment,” recalled Tretiak, a hint of pain flashing in his eyes. Tarasov had a belief that if you made practices excruciatingly difficult, players would have more jump for games. In Tretiak’s case, it seems to have worked.

“Back and forth, first one leg then the next, for as many times as I could. After that, games were no trouble, because I didn’t have to jump.”

As a retired athlete, Tretiak’s body tells a story.

His upper body has softened from the days when he was driven 12 months a year by the Soviet military’s fitness plan. He may even have added a few pounds to his stocky frame. His legs, however, are still enormous and powerful. But while Tretiak’s mother was a gymnastics coach at an elite level for the Soviet Union, Tretiak says he probably never got from her what he needed most.

“My flexibility is very bad,” he says through a laugh. “I could never even do a bridge. I was strong, which kept me from injury.” Tretiak, it seems, does not doubt that he could have played longer if he had been more flexible.

Two Tretiaks

Still, his lack of gymnastic prowess never stopped him from standing on his head in some memorable international contests. While Tony Es-posito, Ken Dry-den and Bernie Parent dominated the NHL, none were as consistent or lightning quick as Tretiak. The difference? His concentration.

That is where Tikhonov comes in. While Tarasov created the physical Tretiak, Tikhonov honed the mental Tretiak.

While Tretiak is often modest to a fault about his physical abilities, he is downright boastful of his abilities to remain focused. His rationale is simple: he was born with his physical ability, but he made himself a great goalie.

“When I look at (an opponent’s) eyes, 100% I can tell you if he will pass or shoot,” says Tretiak with certainty. “I can always tell.”

Part of Tretiak’s confidence comes from “his secret,” which he now chooses to share. Tretiak says he can tell what his opponent will do because he has already evaluated all of the opponent’s options before the opponent has. In essence, a player has, at best, only five options that can result in a goal; shoot, or pass to one of his four teammates. By studying the opponent’s options and mentally preparing a response for each one, Tretiak was always ready for anything.

“I look at the eyes,” says Tretiak. “I follow the puck, but I see everybody on the ice. I look to see who is ready, their position and their motion. That way, I know what to do if a pass goes to another player.

“A goalie must see everything,” Tretiak repeats. “He must be ready for all possible plays and have prepared a response. But he must also wait until the last possible moment to make his move.”

Here is where the few of the good goalies graduate to being great ones.

Tretiak believes that only the goalies who think this way can ever enjoy success over a long term. He concedes that there are “reaction” goalies who can survive, but Tretiak was no mere survivor. He was a predator.

“Concentration is not only focus,” Tretiak insists, “it is awareness. It is being able to use all of your senses to tell you where you are (on the ice) and where the game is at all times. All goalies practice concentration…they know it. But when they get into a game, under pressure, they lock onto the puck. They begin to look like a python stalking a rabbit—rigid.”

Tretiak notes that the best predators know their surroundings, their options, their limitations and, most importantly, are constantly aware of the dangers lurking in their vicinity. And if they do, he states—with typical Tretiak confidence—the inevitable result: “Then, the puck just hits you.”

This first appeared in the 11/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Well…Excuse Me!

Well…Excuse me!
By Mitch Korn
Oct 31, 2001, 16:41

Goalies, like all hockey players, are accountable for their actions. It’s very easy to point the finger at, or to place the blame on, somebody else, when in reality the goalie should be responsible. It is the coach’s job to recognize that there are many circumstances that lead to a goal, and blame should not necessarily be placed on the goaltender. The goaltender, however, has to approach the game in a manner where he feels he can make a significant difference. Not just be there—not just make the routine saves—but to come up big and make a difference.

No one should point fingers in bad times. But we are all human beings, and goaltenders, like anyone else, occasionally make excuses. Generally, it is a defense mechanism for the weak. Here are some of the most commonly heard.

I was screened.

That may be the case, but never ever use or accept the excuse of a screen for a goal. The goalie’s job is to fight the screens. That does not mean punch the defenseman or the opponent, but rather it means find the puck at all costs, and read and react to what is going to happen.

I hate my pads/stick/skates…

It’s easy to blame an inanimate object for the difficulties a goaltender may be having. The stick may be too big, too small, too heavy, or too light. The pads the same. But in reality, the goaltender must overcome it all to perform.

I don’t feel well.

It’s funny, but I’ve known a lot of goaltenders who have played their best game while under the weather. It seems to bring out a greater level of concentration because the athlete knows he is not feeling well, and often he bears down and focuses even more. If you’re that sick, don’t play. Because if you do play you must accept the responsibility. If you are very sick and still play, you are hurting the entire team and being extremely selfish.

We lost because of the ref.

There will be good officials and bad officials, but it drives me crazy when any hockey player blames the referee for losing a game. A referee doesn’t set out to make what some would perceive as bad calls—they call it like they see it. Don’t worry about what you can’t control. Worry about playing, and stopping the puck.

But I got a piece of it!

One of my goaltending commandments has always been to try to prevent pucks from going in through you or off you. Getting a piece of it, while close, is just not enough. And again, accept the responsibility, and do not be content with almost.

I didn’t get a good warm-up.

I know at times, especially in cold buildings, it’s difficult without a good warm-up to go in and excel. But the great goalies are able to rise to the occasion, rise above these kinds of problems and play well regardless of the warm-up.

He was in the crease.

On some occasions, a player in the crease honestly does disrupt the goaltender, but in most situations it’s just the foot or stick that’s in the crease and that truly has no bearing on the fact the puck may have gone in the net. It’s a convenient excuse, but in most cases, the goalie is clutching at straws.

It was deflected!

Things happen; pucks go in the net. Goalies will not get a shutout every game. When deflected goals happen, either from the opponent, or inadvertently off one of your own players, don’t assume guilt by making the excuse before you’re even blamed.

The rebound should have been cleared.

Yes, part of the job of the defense is to clear the front of the net. But part of the goalie’s job is not to leave vulnerable rebounds. That means if the goaltender makes the first save, it’s his job to direct the puck away from the front of the net—away from traffic, and away from an opponent. Sometimes rebound goals are the fault of the goaltender because he put the rebound out there for the taking. Don’t expect the defense to clear every rebound. And don’t blame the defense when a rebound goal is scored.

It was unstoppable.

That may be true, but the best goalies are extremely competitive, expect a lot from themselves, and will accept the responsibility of the score. Dismissing your responsibility to stop the puck does nothing but shield you from reality.

Finally, remember this: nobody is perfect, and everyone is human. But it is better to accept responsibility and move on to the next shot, to the next play, to the next game, instead of dwelling on whose fault it is.

Every goal, every play, every game should be used as a positive learning experience rather than a negative. Don’t make excuses, give us results!

Mitch Korn is the goaltender coach for the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL. In addition, he is an administrator at Miami University (Ohio) and directs the 8-week Summer Hockey School. Miami has Division I ice hockey in the CCHA.

This first appeared in the 09/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

How to Choose a Goalie

How to choose a goalie
By Mitch Korn
Oct 31, 2001, 15:57

Well, it’s the start of a new season and coaches everywhere are faced with a common dilemma: how to choose a goalie when they themselves know very little about goaltending.

Many coaches fall into the trap of believing that “bigger” is better than “smaller,” and that “flashy” is best of all. But in the long run, that’s usually not the case.

In order to help those confused coaches, I’ve tried to outline some key things to look for within three broad categories. By no means is this all-inclusive, it’s merely a guideline to point coaches, goalies and parents in the right direction. It is up to the coach to develop drills that accurately test and evaluate a goaltender.

Physical Skills

Stance is important. A goalie must have fundamental arm and leg positioning, along with the ability to remain in the stance position throughout all of his/her moves.

Skating is critical. Goaltenders must be wonderful skaters—not only forward skaters, but backward and lateral skaters, too! They must be able to skate and stop like a goalie, not a forward. In addition, solid balance and agility on skates is important for movement, recovery, and positioning. Pay close attention to this one!

Athleticism. Even without the checking associated with other positions, goaltending is a demanding physical position. Being a good athlete just makes everything so much easier for a goalie.

Save Execution. Goalies must possess the basic saving skills. Certainly, age level will determine the advanced level of these skills. But skate saves, 1/2-butterflies, two-pad slides, use of the blocker and catch glove, and stick saves must be executed in an efficient, crisp and clean manner. Beware of the goalie that consistently “overreacts.”

The Goalie’s Size. Many coaches feel that big is better than small. Not true! Tall goalies have pluses and minuses, as do small goalies. In most cases, size is really not an issue. Remember, Tom Barrasso is 6’3”, 210 and Curtis Joseph is only 5’10”, 185.

The Goalie’s Speed. Also known as “movement time.” Again, coaches generally feel the faster the better. That’s usually true, but it’s also only part of the total package. While speed is a good guide to athleticism, conditioning, muscle tone and flexibility, it should be considered only as one part of the goalie’s skills. I’ve coached goalies who were very fast, but not very good!

Conditioning. The goalie is the only player who plays the entire game. Therefore, he/she should be well-conditioned and in reasonable shape. An overweight goalie’s deficiencies manifest themselves with other physical weaknesses in the areas outlined above.

Little Things. Look for things like the ability to break up centering passes, stopping pucks dumped in, freezing the puck, moving the puck, rebound control, etc.

Overall, when considering physical skills, the goalie should be able to do everything with one leg that he/she can do with the other. Everything that can be done from a stationary position should also be able to be done moving both forward and backward.

Mental Skills

No goalie can make it big without quality physical skills, yet just having quality physical skills is no guarantee of success. Mental skills are equally important.

Angles & Positioning. While “getting there” is a physical skill, knowing “where to go” is a mental one. The goaltender should challenge shooters, avoid hanging back on the goal line, and limit goals surrendered from bad angles. The better the goaltender’s positioning, the more “blocking” rather than saving is done. A well-positioned goaltender, therefore, will not look as flashy as a scrambling one, but will be much more consistent.

Proper Save Selection. The ability to “read and react” to a situation, anticipate, and have “hockey/goalie sense” directly affects the goalie’s ability to make the correct save choice. For example, if a player is parked in front of the net and tips the puck, a 1/2-butterfly move is much better then a skate save attempt. Often, however, the same shot from the same spot might be played differently based on where the other nine players are positioned on the ice. In other words, a change in situation can dictate changes in the way a goalie must be positioned and the save selection required.

Reaction Time. This is the speed at which a goaltender can mentally recognize a given situation and decide what physical skill to execute. Once a decision is made, the goalie’s physical speed comes into play. Together, they add up to the “response time” of the goalie.

Mental Toughness. The ability to maintain concentration and intensity, and to “shake off” being scored upon are skills to be admired. Be wary of goalies who use excuses, blame others, or who pull themselves from the net.

Overall, mental skills cannot be measured by rapid-fire drills or showdowns, but rather by drills that simulate game situations.

Emotional Skills

Self-confidence. It’s a must. Confidence is important for all players, but many goalies are downright cocky…and that’s not so bad! That cockiness may be an important part of the goalie’s emotional make-up. The coach must then consider that “part,” and decide if he can work with the goalie, as well as how the team will react to it. Remember: the goaltender, while a different animal, must still be part of the team.

Work Habits & Heart. Put simply: you practice as you play, you play as you practice. A goalie should have excellent work habits, setting a work-ethic example for the rest of the team. It is easy for a goalie to loaf during many parts of practice. If he or she does, you should wonder just how badly that person wants to be a better goalie.

Coachability. The goalie must be open to new ideas and constructive criticism. This is often a problem if the coach is not perceived as a credible source by the goalie.

There’s much that goes into being a successful goaltender. A judgment should not be made based on one scrimmage, 10 breakaways, or a series of rapid-fire shots. Choosing a team’s goaltenders is a big decision that affects everyone on the squad. So work these tips into your evaluation process, and good luck! Because after everything’s been analyzed, we all still need some luck.

Mitch Korn is the goaltender coach for the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL. In addition, he is an administrator at Miami University (Ohio) and directs the 8-week Summer Hockey School. Miami has Division I ice hockey in the CCHA.

This first appeared in the 10/1994 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

On Wheels: Rolling in Goal

On wheels: Rolling in goal
By Wayne Anderson
Oct 31, 2001, 15:54

This summer I had the pleasure of working with Mike LaZazzera, the national Goaltending Program Director for Huron Roller Hockey school. Now that winter approaches, Mike is back at his other job—goaltending coach for the University of Maine Black Bears. At Maine, Mike has tutored and worked with standout goaltenders Garth Snow and Mike Dunham, the netminding duo for the 1994 U.S. Olympic hockey team.

Because of Mike’s experience with netminders both on the ice and in roller hockey, I turned to him for help addressing this month’s topic: how a goalie must adjust in going from the ice to the roller hockey floor.

Shuffle step

Mike says the biggest difference is in the “shuffle step.” On ice, a goaltender moves only one foot, while gliding with the other. On rollers, a goalie must move both feet—one at a time. This creates a larger 5-hole for shooters. When working on the shuffle step, remember—the smaller the steps, the smaller the 5-hole.

The other big difference, which all hockey in-liners experience, is stopping. For a goalie, though, stopping is a critical part of tracking and challenging. On rollers, a goalie requires more time for these aspects of his game. For example, on ice, a goalie would start tracking when an opposing player crossed the red line. On rollers, however, the goalie must start tracking a player almost as soon as he breaks out of his own zone. The goalie must think further ahead to keep pace with the approaching play.

Another big difference is the two-pad slide. On ice, a goalie needs less power from the “t-push” which initiates the slide maneuver, and will slide further than on a roller hockey surface. On rollers, you need to generate a greater amount of power just to slide a shorter distance. Plus, you will come to a much more abrupt stop when you complete the maneuver.

Iced edge

In terms of skill level, Mike and I both feel that while a great deal of talent is required to play net both on ice and in roller hockey, the ice hockey goalie tends to have a slight edge in athletic ability. Mike attributes this partly to the newness of high-level roller hockey. I also believe that roller hockey goalies are more susceptible to fatigue due to the higher temperatures they play in while wearing all the same equipment as their on-ice counterparts.

And speaking of equipment, another important difference for goalies on wheels is the puck itself. Huron Roller Hockey schools use the Arena Puck, which generates a greater amount of movement (dipping and curving, for example) than an ice hockey puck. This movement comes both from the lighter weight and from the holes bored into the puck. John Hord, of Arena Puck manufacturer Sun Hockey, explains that the holes in the puck are designed to keep it from “floating.”

Making the switch

Mike urges all roller goalies to concentrate four basic areas of training; balance and agility, rink geography, recovery, and puck-handling skills.

In balance and agility—the most important area—a goalie needs to work on the ability to move quickly while keeping themselves in a proper hockey stance. Remember the small steps that reduce the 5-hole?

Rink geography is also critical for the crossover goalie because a roller rink has no blueline—which is traditionally used by ice hockey goalies to help map out their territory and anticipate the approaching play. So familiarize yourself thoroughly with the playing surface. Study the distances from point-to-point, and the time it takes a skater or the puck to get from one spot to another…and then to your net.

As to recovery, a goalie must be able to execute a move—that two-pad slide, for instance—and get back into proper position (with full knowledge of where he is on the playing surface) quickly and without hesitation. In other words, you need to combine your balance, agility and knowledge of rink geography to put yourself in position to make the next save.

Finally, puck-handling skills. Mike feels this is probably the most neglected skill in most goalies’ training, but an important one to concentrate on. He emphasizes these skills because he always views the goaltender as a potential “third defenseman” for the team. Anyone who watches hockey—roller or ice—knows that an active, puck-handling goalie can be extremely effective in helping his team clear their zone and transition into an offensive attack.

These are some of the things to consider and work on when adjusting to being a goalie on wheels. And, as always, the best advice is “practice, practice, practice!”

Wayne Anderson is Managing Director of Huron Hockey’s new roller hockey schools.

This first appeared in the 10/1994 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

We’re No. 2: Life as a Backup Goalie

We’re No. 2! 
Life as a backup goalie
By Bob Cunningham
Oct 30, 2001, 07:54

Tugnutt: “It sort of stinks.” ©BBS

They don’t keep any charts. They never know when they’ll be called upon. There’s nothing special they can do to maintain game condition and instincts. They are the men behind the men behind the mask. They are backup goalies.

The backup goaltender has one of the least talked about and most unwanted jobs in hockey. Unlike forwards and defensemen, who will usually skate at least two or three shifts a night, these stoppers typically won’t see a single minute of ice time on any given night. They can routinely go six or eight, or more, games without getting the opportunity to play—other than during practice and pre-game skates, of course. It is then, while being peppered with shots from his own teammates in a virtually vacant arena, that a backup goalie is doing his number one job.

Nope, there’s not much glory in being a team’s Number Two goalie. And yet, there are those who end up playing a key part in a team’s triumph. It’s for that reason, say some of the NHL’s backup goaltenders, that it is absolutely vital for these unlucky souls to stay focused and uncompromisingly prepared.

Wade Flaherty of the San Jose Sharks is one such goalie. As a backup to all-star Arturs Irbe, Flaherty doesn’t get the call as often as he likes. But in the 1995 Stanley Cup playoffs, he became an integral part of San Jose’s first-round upset of the Pacific Division champion Calgary Flames.

“I guess you could say I was a little rusty, as far as running things through my mind and being mentally prepared,” says Flaherty, a British Columbia native in his first full season in the NHL. “You have to be mentally prepared, but not to the point where you’re stressed out. You have to be relaxed.”

Whatever Flaherty’s formula, it worked. After Irbe looked shaky (and then was ejected) in a Game 5 loss to the Flames, Flaherty finished up. He then got the call in Game 6 at San Jose. Facing elimination, and having been thoroughly dominated by the Flames in each of the previous three games, the Sharks prevailed, 5-3, forcing the series back to Calgary for Game 7. Flaherty, the 27-year-old backup goaltender, stopped 30 of 33 shots.

“Maybe we won because it’s too early for summer,” Flaherty told reporters after the game.

Opportunity knocks

Most expected Irbe back in the net for Game 7, but Flaherty got the call again, and came up big again, stopping an amazing 56 shots in the Sharks double-overtime triumph.

“Game 6 was the biggest game of my life…until Game 7,” Flaherty says. “That’s just it. You never can tell when you’re going to get the opportunity to play.”

Flaherty believes he was somewhat fortunate that Sharks coach Kevin Constantine chose to use him 18 times in 48 games of the lockout-shortened regular season.

“Last year’s backup, Jimmy Waite,” notes Flaherty, “played only 15 games.”

And surely the bigger workload contributed to his readiness when the opportunity to be a playoff hero unveiled itself.

“I work at staying ready, but the more you play the easier it is,” he says. “I can’t complain about this season.”

Flaherty began getting more work in the season’s second half. At the outset of the campaign, Waite was still No. 2, but he was dealt to Chicago a month later and Flaherty became the primary backup.

Then an odd thing happened. Irbe began to struggle. His goals-against average ballooned to the highest in the league among starters. Flaherty began getting the nod more and more, and finished the regular season with a 3.10 GAA—a fifth of a goal better than Irbe, his buddy and teammate with the International Hockey League’s Kansas City Blades just two years prior.

Back then, says Flaherty, the two split time.

“There isn’t any one or two specific things you can do to stay ready,” Flaherty explains. “I try to stay focused on the game all the time. I watch things like an opposing team’s power play. Who do they like to get the puck to for shots? I watch breakaways, too, to see if I can pick up any tendencies.”

Flaherty admits, however, that when he’s actually called upon to play, he goes more by instinct and feel than on any self-derived scouting reports.

“You don’t always have time to think out there, but I try to pick up what I can; to put the time I spend not playing to use somehow.”

Flaherty agrees that there are many circumstances when a backup goaltender can learn and benefit from non-activity, but that’s not necessarily the case with his particular situation.

“Archie (Irbe) and I are so different in styles that I can’t really learn anything watching him, and he doesn’t learn watching me,” says Flaherty. “I’m more of a butterflier, I guess, and he’s upright.

“Our styles are totally different.”

A career on the bench?

Montreal’s Ron Tugnutt is the stereotypical backup. At Edmonton, he played second fiddle to Bill Ranford, who has pocketed a few Stanley Cup winner’s checks in his day. Still, Tugnutt got enough ice time to impress the then-expansion Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, who tabbed him in the 1992 Expansion Draft.

Ah, but Tugnutt’s role with Anaheim would be as a backup to Guy Hebert, the first player selected by the Ducks. And while Tugnutt got an increasing share of the workload with the Ducks, he was still just a backup.

“I never know from one game to the next whether I’ll be playing or not,” he said early in the 93/94 campaign. “In one respect, that’s kind of fun, but in another, it sort of stinks.”

In need of offense later that season, the Ducks dealt Tugnutt to Montreal for center Stephan Lebeau. For Tugnutt, it was another sentence of bench-warming, because the Canadiens boasted perhaps the best netminder in the league—Patrick Roy, who had just come off an MVP performance in the 1993 Stanley Cup Finals.

“At least I’ll be in a familiar role,” Tugnutt deadpanned after hearing of the trade.

As expected, Tugnutt has been the reserve’s reserve, starting just seven games this season. Still, he fashioned a respectable 3.12 GAA. The punchless Habs, however, only scored enough for Tugnutt to win once in those seven starts.

At the other end of the spectrum for backups is the New York Rangers Glenn Healy. During the Rangers run to the 1994 Stanley Cup, Healy wasn’t utilized a great deal. Starter Mike Richter enjoyed a phenomenal season in goal and, well, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

This season was different. Richter was alarmingly inconsistent in the early going, and Healy, a 10-year veteran, was relied upon as a stopgap. His 2.36 GAA was third among all NHL goaltenders with at least 15 starts.

In the postseason, Healy came up big again, winning twice as the eighth-seeded Rangers knocked off top seed Quebec in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.

“It’s not that I like not being the primary guy,” Healy says. “But you have to be willing to fill that role if that’s what your team and your coach want you to do. I work very hard at being ready whenever I’m called on.”

Flaherty concurs. “Every so-called backup wants to start. Sometimes, though, it just isn’t that way. This is my job, for now.”

Of course, Flaherty and Healy have something else in common: both their squads were unceremoniously swept in the conference semifinals, the Sharks by Detroit and the Rangers by Philadelphia.

They still can lead

Flaherty says that he doesn’t dwell on whether he’s playing or not. It’s a streaky sort of thing, so why sweat what you don’t control?

“Some teams play backups more than others. Some coaches go with whoever is hot,” he says. “The most I’ve gone without playing is nine or 10 games when Archie is playing well, but then I’ve (started) six or seven in a row.

“The toughest thing is going to the arena knowing that you’re not going to play, and being prepared just in case you do get the chance.”

Healy tries to fill the void of not playing regularly by getting involved with his team’s mental conditioning. He tries to play a combination motivator/cheerleader role with the goal of maximizing the team’s preparedness.

“He’s a leader for us, whether he’s playing or not,” Mark Messier says. “That’s a good type of player to have on your team. His attitude is great.”

Attitude, say these pros, is key.

“I have confidence in myself and what I can do when I get the chance to play,” says Tugnutt. “As long as I’m in the league, I’ll always strive to be the No. 1 guy. If that’s not my role, then I’ll have to settle for being the best second guy.”

While it’s hard to say who actually is the best Number Two goalie in hockey, Tugnutt and his breed are all among the best in the game when it comes to being mentally focused and ready to play.

This first appeared in the 08/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Stopping the Low One

Stopping the low one
By Mitch Korn
Oct 30, 2001, 07:18

There is always a lot of debate about the best way to stop the puck down low. Should it be a skate save or a half-butterfly? In my view, there is no single right answer. A lot depends on the circumstances and the individual strengths of the goalie. And while the goal stick should always be involved no matter which choice you make, both approaches are valid.

The basics

The skate save (also known as the 1/2-Split) requires precision. Turning a 12-inch blade must be timed perfectly in order to stop a 3.5-inch puck. Skate saves open up “holes,” but when they are done properly they can reduce or eliminate rebounds.

The half-butterfly covers much more space than the skate save, and thus requires less precision. The math is simple: a 30-inch goal pad that is 12 inches wide covers 360 square inches of net! On the down side, however, this save can give bad rebounds and often opens up the top portion of the net.

Do not confuse the half-butterfly with a full-butterfly. Most goalies simply cannot do a full-butterfly, a maneuver that requires a tremendous, almost inhuman, amount of flexibility. Those who try probably can get a 50% leg extension to each side. But a half-butterfly gets a 100% extension to one side—the puck side.

When to use each save

Generally, the higher the level of hockey that you play in, the fewer skate saves you will make. The pure speed of the game—and increased goal-mouth congestion—makes it less likely that you can physically complete the maneuver in time for it to be effective. The skate save is most effective when you use it “situationally”—in other words, when the odds are in your favor.

For example, the skate save is a good choice on clear shots from the high slot, or around the tops of the circles, without a screen or risk of a deflection. In these cases, the goalie has time to be precise with the skate, and can risk opening holes.

Conversely, here are some situations in which you should not use skate saves:

• on breakaways, or around-the-net dekes;

• on quick shots around the net;

• on backdoor passes;

• on screens, or when there is a risk of deflection;

• on rebounds.

The half-butterfly is often the most versatile choice in situations, like those above, in which you do not want to use a skate save. It allows you to fill the space and close holes. Again, it can be done moving laterally into deflections; moving forward while cutting down an angle; moving backward while playing a breakaway, or moving diagonally on a backdoor play.

How to make…

Skate saves:

• drop to knee. All weight should be on the knee, with the leg directly under the body;

• sit up, and keep gloves up;

• explode your save foot on outside edge, angled to the corner;

• keep the stick down, and lead with it;

• keep the skate blade on the ice—do not “sink” your heel;

• your gloves should never touch the ice;

• recover with the leg that makes the save.

There are some common problems resulting from trying to use the skate save. Sometimes the goalie spins, and ends up no longer facing the shot. Sometimes the knee/leg which bears the goalie’s weight is not directly under the body, and the goalie falls on his butt. Still other times the goalie does not sit up, but rather sits back—sitting on the skate blade—or falls forward, and the goalie gloves touch the ice. Finally, the goalie often does not “lean into” the save, or—if the puck is on the stick side—the goalie rolls the shoulder and stick out of the play.

Most important, however, is the first decision the goalie makes—the save selection. Remember, on a quick slot shot or on a deflection or screen, a pad save is more appropriate.

Half-butterfly saves:

• drop to knee. Extend other leg by “getting off the skate blade” on the inside edge, and explode;

• keep gloves up in from of the body. Sit up. Gloves should never touch the ice;

• limit the size of the 5-hole;

• keep the stick down between your legs. Lead with it when possible to deflect rebound to corner;

• keep knee tight to the ice on the save leg;

• recover with the leg that made the save. Turn and attack the rebound.

Common problems resulting from the half-butterfly include; the goalie recovering with the wrong leg; the goalie not getting the knee flush to the ice; not getting enough leg extension, and not keeping the pad facing the shot.

Also, a “flat” half-butterfly—with no push into the shot—often lets the puck go “around” you into the net. A “soft” half-butterfly lets the puck go between the pad and the ice into the net. And an “early” half-butterfly gives the shooter time to adjust and shoot upstairs. These three problems can be offset if you are aggressive, strong and patient.

While the situation dictates the save selection, in the upper levels of hockey there are more screens, more deflections, more snipers and less chance to be precise. That means one day—if you’re lucky enough to move up in the game—your skate save will largely become obsolete.

So, goalies, master that half-butterfly!

Mitch Korn is the goaltender coach for the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL. In addition, he is an administrator at Miami University (Ohio) and directs the 8-week Summer Hockey School. Miami has Division I ice hockey in the CCHA.

This first appeared in the 07/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2001 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Playing angles: Part 1

By Mitch Korn
Every coach, parent and goaltender talks about “cutting down the angle,” but I doubt very much that they all understand the intricacies of the process.

While moving forward, moving laterally, or backing up is the physical part of playing angles, the most critical aspect of the process is mental.

The three steps required in cutting down the angle are; 1) coming out; 2) being square to the puck; and 3) getting set. Simple?

Not really. These physical aspects will be discussed in Part 2 of “Playing Angles,” in next month’s issue. But before a goalie can begin to accomplish these three physical challenges, he or she must totally understand a variety of other concepts that have enormous impact on the decision-making process. Here they are:

Front Door vs. Back Door

Photo 1: The front door.

If a goalie comes out when the puck is on the wing, he is always involved in a tradeoff of “front door”, (photo 1) vs. “back door”, (photo 2). The farther a goalie comes out to take away the front door, the more the back door is left vulnerable to a pass play. While the goaltender does not want to be beaten by a shot from the wing (front door), he must also be aware and prepared to react to the back door play. Simply, the goalie must read the situation. If there is no one on the back door, the goalie can come out a bit farther and cover more front door. If the back door is open, and is a threat, the goalie must give up a bit of the front door (not too much) to be ready to get to the back door.

Photo 2: The back door.

In other words, your positioning is based on the location of all players—not just the puck. Therefore, all angle decisions are based on the situation, and how you read it.

Photo 3: A goalie rarely has to leave the posts to fill the net.

Marginal Returns

Sometimes goalies come out too far. The term “marginal returns” means that for each additional foot the goalie comes out, there is less and less benefit. If a goalie comes out too far on a situation, certain things happen—none of them good. He opens too much back door; becomes very vulnerable to a rebound; has a much tougher time adjusting to even a small change in the position of the puck; actually wastes effort by covering area outside the net; and may take their gloves “out of the net” as well.

Photo 4.

The Ice is Divided into Thirds

Picture this, the ice is divided into three lanes: the left lane, the center lane, and the right lane. The outside lanes are the least dangerous, while the middle one is the most dangerous. Strive to eliminate all goals from the outside thirds, or lanes. When the puck is in the outside lane, a goalie does not have to come out as far to fill the same amount of net as he does when the puck is in the middle third of the ice.

In addition, on extreme angles (with the puck positioned down below the dots) a goalie rarely has to leave the posts to fill the net (photo 3). Remember, at bad angles, a goalie should close up, because the only way a puck can score is through the goalie (5-hole, under the arms, etc.).

Photo 5.

Understand a Shooter’s Hands

A good player will try to “open up” net with his hands by changing the location of the puck. A goalie tries to “close net” by playing the angles (photos 4 & 5). It is a continuing on-ice chess match. Remember this, a good player will rarely shoot the puck from where it is presented. The puck is almost always shifted, thus forcing the goalie to adjust. To play proper angles, a goalie must continuously adjust, and never let the 5-hole get too large while adjusting. The 5-hole is a scorer’s favorite place.

Photo 6.

Understand the Aerial Angle

When a goalie comes out, he not only makes the shooting triangle smaller, but also shrinks the aerial angle; the triangle created from the crossbar to the puck and along the ice. The steeper the angle, the tougher it is to score. Too often a big goalie comes out and puts his gloves actually outside the aerial angle (see photo 6). This is why we see so many goalies lower their gloves in tight in an effort to keep the gloves “in the net.”

Finally, remember: just because you are out of the net does not mean a shooter cannot score. A goalie must still react to the puck, and not be a spectator.

Mitch Korn is the goaltender coach for the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL. In addition, he is an administrator at Miami University (Ohio) and directs the 8-week Summer Hockey School. Miami has Division I ice hockey in the CCHA.

This first appeared in the 03/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2011 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Stopping the breakaway

By Mitch Korn

Learn to discern a real move from a fake.

Every goaltender and goaltending coach has his or her own theory on how to play the breakaway. Regardless of the approach, the bottom line is to stop the puck.

Certainly, every goalie will play off his strengths. A goaltender who is good on dekes will come out of his net a little farther and force the player to make a move. Conversely, a goaltender weaker on dekes will stay back a bit and take his chances with a shot. Certain goaltenders’ strengths might include the use of poke checks, or stacking the pads. It’s important to know your strengths—and use them—but also to work hard on your weaknesses so they don’t bring you down.

Most coaches use the famous old cliché, “Don’t make the first move!” In truth, it’s not that the goaltender actually makes the first move, it’s just that he buys the shooter’s first fake, and reacts. He simply doesn’t show enough patience. Practice, and “goaltending sense” developed from experience, will eventually help goalies discern the real move from a fake.

Three steps in net

In general, a goalie confronting the breakaway follows a three-step approach.

Come out extra far. As soon as the goaltender recognizes a breakaway, he should come out well above the top of the goal crease and get set. This leaves little angle for a shot, and will force a player to deke.

Back up. When the player reaches the top of the circles, the goaltender begins his backward motion. The gap between the goalie and shooter should close slowly.

Make a save selection. Whether it’s a stack of the pads, a half butterfly, or just getting hit in the chest, a decision based on the situation and visual cues must be made.

Visual Clues & Helpful Hints

Here are some things to consider in making your choices against a breakaway skater:

Where is the puck being carried by the shooter? If it’s in front, a deke is likely. If it’s on the side, there is a good chance the player will shoot.

Remember that an “off-side wing” (a right-hander down the left wing, or visa versa) has more angle to shoot than an “on side” wing.

Normally on a deke, the final move will occur after the shooter’s skates cross the hash marks in the slot. Anything earlier is likely to be a fake.

A way to tell when the shooter is ready to “make a move” is if he plants his feet, stops skating and begins to glide. The wider his feet get, the less options and lateral mobility he has.

On a deke, players go to their backhand most often.

Players will try all kinds of hand, puck, head and shoulder fakes to get the goaltender to move or commit. While the goaltender must follow the puck, the direction of the player’s chest or midsection can often show to which side he’s going. Isn’t that what defensemen are taught, too?

What Not to Do

Don’t back in too slow, or the player will go around you. But don’t back in too fast, either, because then the net opens up for a shot. Coaches often tell goalies to back up “at the same speed” as the shooter—but that’s not really possible. If one tried, by the time the shooter reached the hash marks, the goalie would be in the third row of seats! In truth, the “gap” between the shooter and the stopper should be closed slowly.

Don’t get any deeper than the top of the semi-circular goal crease, and don’t stop your backward motion or plant your feet. Playing a breakaway is a “flow.”

Don’t lunge forward at the player, because often he can then easily go around you. And don’t overuse the poke check, especially when the player is coming down the middle. It rarely works at the higher levels of competition.

Don’t try and use skate saves on dekes. They open up too many holes elsewhere. And don’t stack your pads parallel to the top of the rectangular crease when a player is coming down the middle, because a big hole opens up between your hip and elbow. If he goes to the side, he has a lot of space to score.

If a player dekes to your left, don’t plant your right leg while you extend your left. That opens the goaltender up, creating a truck-sized hole between his legs.

Finally, Don’t let a player score a goal from inside the goal crease—that’s your territory. But if you end up there, you’ve probably retreated too far.

Things to try

Practice your backward motion timing so the save selection can occur when you are at the top of the semi-circular goal crease. The backward motion provides momentum to move to the left or right with a deke.

Use your stick as an asset, but be prepared in case you miss the poke check.

Show patience by not reacting to the player’s first move; try and wait him out. Stay on your feet as long as you can, and do your best to stay with the shooter.

Use pad saves as often as possible on dekes. They cover more net, more quickly. When stacking the pads or using the butterfly on a deke, the goaltender’s motion should be at a diagonal from the top of the semi-circular crease toward the outside of the goal post. This eliminates any chance of the player going around the goaltender and getting a “lay-up goal.” I call it the “Y theory”: out, back, and toward the goalposts.

When stacking the pads, delay the stick movement by keeping it in front of you until the hole between the hip and elbow is closed.

Recognize that most goals go in low or through the 5-hole, so make sure you close those holes. This tilts the odds in your favor, because it’s hard for a player to “roof the puck” while moving at full speed on a deke.

If you keep these things in mind, you’ll always give yourself a chance to make the save!

Mitch Korn is the goaltender coach for the Buffalo Sabres of the NHL. In addition, he is an administrator at Miami University (Ohio) and directs the 8-week Summer Hockey School. Miami has Division I ice hockey in the CCHA.

This first appeared in the 02/1995 issue of Hockey Player Magazine®
© Copyright 1991-2011 Hockey Player® and Hockey Player Magazine®

Rick O Shay Goalie