HMHA: Between the Posts
Tuesday, August 25Welcome to Between the Posts:
Thank you for checking in. HMHA has always been committed to player development. This year, it decided to put some additional focus on its goaltenders -- to make them the best that they can be. The board approved the formation of goalie committee to guide the goaltender evaluation and placement process and spearhead development. Check out this page for useful information for goalies as well as parents for their development. We welcome your feedback and suggestions.
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Goaltending Videos through Hockey Canada
Saturday, October 24
Goalie Mentoring
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| Goalie Tim Boudreau helps out with the novice goalies. | |
Friday, October 9
Point Shots: Tip and Tricks
GOALTENDING
POINT SHOTS: TIPS AND TRICKS
Written By: Corey Hirsch; National Team Goaltending Consultant
I am noticing a disturbing trend in the increasing number of goaltenders who are getting beat by screens and tips from point shots. This is becoming a problem as young goaltenders are not being taught properly as to how much they should challenge a point shot. This is due strictly to being caught too deep in the net and not being aggressive enough when the puck is at the point. A good rule of thumb for point shots is that a goaltender should be at the minimum of having their toes on the edge of the top of the crease when the puck is at the point. The only time this would change is during a 5 on 3 powerplay where a goalie may have to hang back due to the fact that there will be 2 extra men open. So get out of the crease and be aggressive, hanging back only opens up net and enhances screens
Tricks of the trade
Get out there and get your toes to the top of the crease:
On any point shot whether it be a screen or an open shot, be aggressive and get your toes at a minimum of the top of the crease. This will allow you to take away some of the shooters advantages and will in fact put you at the advantage. It will allow you to get closer to the player that is screening you, which will allow you to see better. It will also allow you to take away any tips or redirections. If you hang back in your crease it makes it extremely difficult to see through a screen and opens up way too much net for tips and redirections that you will have no chance to react to.
Open point shot:
Any time the puck is at the point on an open point shot get your toes to the top of the crease, be aggressive, and take away some of the net. Hanging back only gives the shooter more net to work with and will enhance the ability for him to beat you with an open shot. Read the play and be aware of any dangerous players lurking for a garbage goal, but if there is no other imminent threat, get out there and make him beat you.
Screen shots from point:
The best way to play a screen shot is to get as close to the player as possible that is screening you. This takes away his advantage of not letting you be able to see and if he does happen to tip or redirect a puck, it takes away any chance for the tip to go anywhere as you are so close to the player that the puck will have nowhere to go.
Tips or redirections from point shots:
With the speed of a shot, the actual possibility of reacting to a tip is minimal. The best way to avoid getting beat by a tip on a point shot is to get as close to the tip as possible. This will put you into a blocking position and will take away any angle the puck has to move. If you hang back too far, it gives up too much net and this will put you into a reacting position which is almost impossible.
Pro Tip
Looking through a screen:
When trying to look through a screen, the absolute best way to look for the puck is to get as close to the player screening you and look over top of them. A lot of young goalies are being taught to hang back and look low through player’s legs, THIS IS 100% WRONG. All this does is opens up the top of the net. By looking low through a player’s legs it makes it extremely difficult to move by putting too much pressure on your legs. It will also enhance the screen and I guarantee you will eventually lose sight of the puck. The puck moves around too fast, and by looking over top of a player it opens everything up.
The theory of this is that most point shots are low, so you should stay low. This could not be more wrong. The fact of the matter is that players are becoming smarter as defensemen are getting their shots up and finding the top of the net. This is because goalies are increasingly, staying low in their crouch, looking through a player’s legs and losing the puck. Trust me if you come out of your crouch a bit to look over players you will still have plenty of time to react to the shot.
A good analogy of this is by thinking if you were lost in a forest and needed to find your way out, the best way would be too get as high as you can, to see as far as you can, and over top of everything. You wouldn’t get on the ground to look and try to find your way out, because you wouldn’t be able to see anything.
The same goes for goaltending….the lower you look the less you can see. If you look high over people you can see players, the puck and be able to read the play.
*When looking over a player it is ok to come out of your stance a bit to try to look over the player. Try to keep the toe of your stick on the ice and knees slightly bent. When a player does get into a shooting position, you will then quickly get back into your lower stance.
Monday, October 5
Some photos of our HMHA goaltenders....
Click under Albums in the menu bar to the left to see some of our goaltenders in action. Over the season, we will try to add more photos and highlight some of the accomplishments of our goalies.
Thursday, October 1
Coaches: Here are some drills for your goalies
To help our coaches develop their goalies, we will be continually providing drills they can use in their practices that specifically help their goaltenders. Here are five drills that were used during our Fall Tune-Up clinic and during our technical evaluations this September. Just click on the Handout below.
Handout: Fleming Goalie Drills
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| Goalies watch as a drill is demonstrated. |
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More photos from the Fall Tune-Up Goalie Clinic
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| Goalies skate around the ice to warm up before the clinic. | |
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| Goalie Luke Flann demonstrates a poke check. |
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| A goalie practices C-cuts. |
Thursday, July 30
Check out the HMHA Goaltender's Report
A committee was struck last fall to look at the shortage of goaltenders in Hampton and how to develop, evaluate and place goalies on teams. This past spring, the committee submitted recommendations to HMHA. The recommendations were passed by the board, which will mean more goalie development, including monthly clinics, that will go a long way to support our goalies and hopefully attract more players to this vital position. Read the report by clicking on the Handout below.
Handout: Goaltender Committee Report
Thursday, July 30
Hockey Canada's document on Goaltending
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The best way to improve your goaltenders is to work with these individuals throughout the season, says Hockey Canada. An effective practice should include goaltenders in as many drills as possible. Goaltenders should not be thought of as targets during practice but should be included in drills in order to improve both the scoring ability of your team but the play of your goalie. To read the Hockey Canada report, which includes drills, click on the headline above.
Thursday, July 30
Watch goalie drills
Click on the headline above to watch some goalie drills on YouTube.
Thursday, July 30
More Hockey Canada drills
Click on the headline above to see more goaltender drills.
Thursday, July 30
Goaltender Development: Hockey Canada
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| http://www.canadianhockey.ca/index.php/ci_id/63693/la_id/1.htm#Goaltender | |
Goaltenders must learn to push with strength and stop hard when needed. So when doing t-push or shuffle drills it is suggested that everything is done in sequence. Example: a coach should be calling out for the goalie to PUSH---STOP---PUSH---STOP---PUSH---STOP etc. giving one second in between pushes. This will give the goaltender time to recover and will keep him from developing bad habits by doing the drill too fast.
The ability for a goaltender to change directions quickly is also an absolute must as today’s game is a lot about trying to create a situation to get a goaltender moving in the wrong direction. In order to do this, and be effective, skating drills are a natural part of goaltender development.
BEGINNER
• 75% movement and positional skills
• 20% save movement
• 5% tactics
Beginner development should be built on practicing individual technical skills 75% of total practice time
INTERMEDIATE
• 50% movement and positional skills
• 20% save movement
• 30% tactics and transition
Intermediate development should be built on practicing individual technical skills 50% of total practice time
ADVANCED
• 35% movement and positional skills
• 10% post-save consequences
• 40% tactics and transition
• 15% advanced positioning
Advanced development should be built on practicing individual technical skills 35% of total practice time