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Goalie Techniques: Puck Tracking Skills

The document emphasizes the importance of goaltenders tracking the puck throughout its path to enhance their performance. It outlines the process of reading the puck off the stick, making quick decisions on save selection, and connecting the dots to anticipate passes and shots. Effective puck tracking is crucial for goalies to improve their chances of making saves, especially in high-pressure situations.

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reid savid
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21 views2 pages

Goalie Techniques: Puck Tracking Skills

The document emphasizes the importance of goaltenders tracking the puck throughout its path to enhance their performance. It outlines the process of reading the puck off the stick, making quick decisions on save selection, and connecting the dots to anticipate passes and shots. Effective puck tracking is crucial for goalies to improve their chances of making saves, especially in high-pressure situations.

Uploaded by

reid savid
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

VISUAL FOCUS...

TRACKING THE
PUCK IS KEY TO SUCCESS
It may seem simple, it may be logical, but focus on This is the process of following the puck after it leaves the
the puck throughout the puck’s path is not consis- stick. A lot of goalies read the puck off the stick, then
tently accomplished by most goaltenders, even those “look past the puck” and they do not track it to their body.
in the pros. It seems that many goalies do some, Pucks not “tracked” often go through the goalie.
but not all components regularly. Let’s break it
down. Shot
-decide on save selection, now that the goalie can
Reading the puck off the stick pin-point where high or low and where left,
Reading the puck off the stick gives the goalie a right or middle the puck is headed
great “jump” on the shot or pass. Without it, things -assess the situation and decide what to do with
will happen too fast. This should provide the goalie the puck after the save (trap on body, cushion
with his/her first decisions… shot or pass. Let’s fol- puck, deflect away from opponents, etc.)
low the decision options:
Pass
Shot -watch and move with the puck as it travels to the
-quickly decide left, right, middle opponent and attempt to arrive before the puck
-quickly decide high or low… high re -decide on the save selection
quires the goalie to stand up, low al
lows the goalie to prepare to “leave Connect the Dots
his feet” This is the completion of the process.
**consider that a shot from 60 feet away
from the goalie (the blue line) shot at Shot
75 miles an hour, gives the goalie less -anticipate possible deflections by watching the
than 1 second to react. Reading the puck and the sticks and bodies which come
puck off the stick provides a fantastic within the puck’s path
advantage to the goaltender -watch the puck into the goaltender’s equipment
Pass for the save… control or follow rebound
-patience is required so as not to “leave
your feet” early, assuming a shot…then Pass
track the puck -connect the stick blades (the dots) so the goalie
reads the puck off the receiver’s stick (again).
Good players are deceptive by moving the puck, Too often on quick plays around the net, the
hiding the pass or shot, and trying to surprise the goalie just slides, but does not connect the dots
goalie. The best I ever worked with at reading pucks (stick to stick) and is often not square
off the stick was Hasek (that’s obvious) with -by connecting the dots, the goalie knows where
former Nashville goalie Mike Dunham a close sec- the stick blade is (inside-toward the slot or out-
ond. side-toward the far post, etc.) allowing better
body position, being more square, and seeing
When Steve Shields turned pro with Buffalo’s orga- the puck better off the stick
nization, he found this very difficult… he always
picked the puck up late but he really improved with Unfortunately, there are times where this process breaks
practice and concentration. down, and the goalie has less of a chance to make the
save. Due to traffic around the net and screens, the goalie,
Tracking the Puck… follow the dots through anticipation and experience, must “connect the
dots” as if there was clear vision.

12
Diagram 1
Read the Puck off the Stick
The goalie must decide quickly
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HIGH
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LOWER
1234567890123456789012345678901212345 FIVE-HOLE LOWER
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1/3
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1/3
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RIGHT CENTER LEFT

Diagram 2
The Process of Following the Puck
Net
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4. Receiver of Pass
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3. Goalie Connects the Dots on Shot 1234567890123
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• Anticipate traffic 1234567890123
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• Watch the Puck into the goalie’s 1234567890123123456789012
equipment/body 3. Goalie Connects the dots
to the stick blade
2. Goalie Tracks Shot
• Decide on save selection
• Decide on what to do with the
puck after the save
t

2. Goalie Tracks Pass


Sho

• See potential traffic


ss

• Must move to receiver


Pa

Player with Puck


1. Goalie Reads Puck off Stick
• Shot
- goalie determines high/low
- goalie determines left/right/center
- goalie tracks shot to body
• Pass
- goalie tracks puck to receiver

13

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