GOALIE AS PART OF A SUB-TEAM OF 3

There is a theme that gets missed by coaches at every level and that is the work that is done primarily between defensemen and goaltender. Secondly, the coordination that occurs occasionally between goaltender and the forwards, specifically on the special teams.

This piece will deal with how the goalie works with defensemen defensively and then setting them up offensively. Coaches, and defensemen themselves, many times don’t realize how much the "D" can be a hindrance to the goaltender doing his or her job. It takes a very experienced defenseman to have a relationship on the ice with the goaltender to know what the tender can and cannot handle and know what the goaltender should be able to handle.

If the goaltender doesn’t have confidence in his or her own abilities to handle a forward shot or potential semi-breakaway situation, the play will be even more perilous. If the "D" do not have the confidence in the goaltender to make the right stops it can also end up a mess in front of the net.

Specifically, on odd man rushes the defensemen can be a major help or hindrance to the outcome of the rush, but the lynchpin of the defensive effort is the goaltender.

Coaches, and goaltenders themselves, need to be vocal before the game situation occurs as to what s/he will be able to be able to deal with when there are more of the opposite color jersey coming over the blue line than you’ve got on your side.

Key vocabulary for dealing with the timing of these situations include:

“Gap Control” – The space between the defensive player and the oncoming puck carrier.
“Strong Side or Puck Carrier” – The opponent carrying the puck.
“Wide man” – The opposite player to the puck carrier.
“Trailer” - The player behind the puck carrier and the wide man.
“Inside Hash Marks” – The hash marks on the inside of the defensive zone face-off circles.


The following are a few photos illustrating rush situations...

Wing comes in on off wing. If defenseman is playing this rush properly s/he is just outside of the photo to the right of the tender. In essence, cutting laterally would not be good. He'd probably get his bell rung pretty good. The tender has the straight on covered and knows it the only option.

Everything here actually looks good except that the tender probably cheated toward a wide man on his blocker side. The shooter is an off wing again and the D looks to have cut off the pass option pretty well. Shot was probably the only option. Goalie has to have it.

View from the faceoff. Here we go...

Goalie is dealing with the shooter while a cutter sneaks in front of the D. Smart move on the offensive side.

Scott Niedermeyer stays out of the way of JS Giguire so he can handle a direct shot. The pass option or rebound can be dealt with. See the off wing player waiting in the wings on the right.