Do's and Don'ts
Do you have the discipline to get enough rest, have a proper fitness plan, eat right, and be prompt for all commitments? Character counts in all aspects of life! The most successful people are not always the most talented. They simply outwork the more talented who assume that world owes them favours.
Do you have a confident aura about you? Do you look into people's eyes and have a confident posture or do you mumble and look to the ground. Do you have a firm handshake? Do you display a passion for the position and the game? Rinks are full of goalies that are content to play and practice on cruise control. It is okay to love something, want to be good at it and display that passion to other people.
By keeping your hands out in front of the body when in the basic stance the goaltender can remain coiled and ready for any save. Also hands kept up offer the goaltender lane protection for shots to the high corners.
How often does a simple giveaway turn into a goal? A puck dumped in that the goalie chooses not to stop for his D man all of a sudden the opposing fore checker gets the puck and passes it to the slot for a goal. If the goalie had stopped the puck there would have been no goal and the puck would probably be down at the other end. The goalie casually kicks out a rebound and a goal is scored. Realize that mistakes are a part of goaltending, but work hard not to make them a habit!
Many problems in the net are a result of the goalie failing to get good footing. Do not get a case of "happy feet". The goalie should never make the first move but they must be the first in position. Power and the ability to read the situation in front of them will enable the goaltender to be in a set position and have his feet still if the shot occurs.
When the goaltender prematurely backs off from their initial depth the shooter can confidently drive the net. Can the goaltender be patient and out wait the shooter. Does the goaltender have the power in his initial bursts to allow him the time to be patient?
Can you dictate the tempo? Do you freeze the puck or do you carelessly put the puck back into play? Many goals are scored because the goaltender had a window of opportunity to stop the offence and instead just carelessly put the puck back into play. Read the options so you are ready for anything.
Goaltenders need to understand and pay attention to gap control.
There are a lot of lanes and spaces in traffic that can be eliminated by the opportunistic goalie. A goaltender can takes advantage by moving closer to the rebound in the time it takes for the rebounder to get to the puck. Too many goaltenders wait for a shot on goal to become part of the play. By learning to fill gaps and lanes with smart positioning prior to the shot the goaltender can force the shooter to shoot where and when the goaltender wants them to.
If a technical save response doesn't work do you just watch the puck go in? The goaltender must not like being scored on and do what ever it takes to stop the puck. Adapt to the situation and make a passionate effort to deny the shooter. Attitude is everything and the goaltender that battles will be tough to beat. Don't let them take an uncontested shot on goal no matter how little chance you have of stopping the puck, even if it is just a scream. Shooters are human and have been known to miss when pressured.
Do you recognize defensive, neutral and offensive zones systems. A smart goalie can recognize possible breakdowns in systems long before a shot on goal is attempted. Being able to recognize possible breakdowns will make for a smarter more effective goaltender.
How do you carry yourself on the ice? Do you exude confidence? Do you give an impression of being a leader? Do you have a crease presence? Are you aggressive and ready for a challenge? Do you have an aggressive stance, with a lot of verbal communication? Do you move around the crease like you expect to stop the puck?
Many times goaltenders have stated "I should have made the team I was just as good as the goalie they kept."
Being just as good isn't enough. You must be better!