Goalie Tips and Tricks 2.

Positioning is very important to a goalie he/she must always stay square with the shooter and never lose sight of the puck. In ice hockey the goaltender is the only player who can play in the crease until the puck has entered then it is fair game to all. They are also the only player that can fall on the puck, use their glove, and any part of their body to stop the puck from going into the net.

The goalie should stand on their feet as long as they can before going down this will limit the shooters options in scoring a goal. The best thing for a goalie is to try to catch the puck if at all possible. This prevents the puck from sliding bye or rebounding back for another shot. You might see a goalie tap his/her stick on the goal post. What they are doing is checking to see how much net is available and where they are positioned without looking so that they don't take their eyes off the puck. While watching the puck the goalie should check out the position of the blade on the opposing player. If the blade is open and slightly pointed upward the player is going to take the shoot. If the blade is flat or parallel to the ice the player is going to deke or fake you out.

 When the player is behind the net with the puck the goalie must stay close to the post closest to the puck with pads against post and stick at a 45 degree angle to deflect the puck when it is shot at them. The 45 degree will deflect the puck outward not up and toward the net. Drop to the butterfly position with the stick in the down position when being screened by the opposing player. This will increase your chances of seeing the shot and it will reduce the angle of the shot so the screening player can't deflect it.

Remember goalies you are to be in consent communication with your teammates. This will help them and you by telling them who to shut down first and that they are screening you out. Goalies have one of the hardest positions in hockey and it takes the team to win or lose the game not just the goalie.  More to come on ice hockey goalie tips and tricks. 

Goalie Tips and Tricks 1.

In hockey the job of the goalie is to keep the puck out of the net at all cost and to never take their eyes off of the puck so they can achieve this goal. The goalie position is a very demanding position due to the fact that their equipment is different and that it weighs more than their teammates. Goalies need to fast on their feet to be able to get up and down in a matter of seconds. They also have to contend with  pucks that are coming at them  at speeds up to 100 mph or more. Remember your goalie should always be considered the last line of defense in hockey.

The basic goaltender stance in ice hockey is with knees bent and weight distributed on the balls of their feet like in a squat. They must stay low and keep their body square with the shooter. This gives them the appearance of filling out the net. The butterfly is a goal tending technique in which the goaltender goes down with his/her knees together and the pads are stretched out in both directions with the player upright and square to the shooter. The stick should be on the ice between the pads.

 

Here is a demonstration of the goalie stance.

Defense Zone Coverage

Proper positioning of the defenders covering the players without the puck is just as important as defending the ones that have the puck. Proper defense position is important.

Defense Positions in Our Own End.

This video displays the basic guidelines to defense positioning in hockey.

To Pinch or Not To Pinch.

If you are playing defense, learn these hockey tips and become the most reliable defense man on ice. Every defense man experienced that dragging feeling, followed by a split second of indecision. Should I commit? Is it the right time to pinch? What if I am too late? If you are one of those guys and are not sure whether to pinch or not to pinch, keep reading. In this article, I'll give you a few tips on becoming a more consistent defense man. Remember them the next time you hit the ice and your teammates will thank you for that.

 

Pinching, if you don't know what it is, is actually quite simple. Basically, it's rushing forward off the opponents blue line when your team is in their zone. Sounds simple, right? The question you should ask yourself: when is the right time for this? If your timing is right - it gives your team an immediate advantage and you keep possession of the puck in the other team's zone. If the timing is wrong - your opponent can easily have two and sometimes three on one rush back to you your own end. Players often think that pinching is like throwing a dice, sometimes you get what you want, sometimes - not. It should not be like this.

 

When to pinch.

It is impossible to teach every game situation. With experience you will be able to read the game much better, and it will become a more intuitive decision. But for now, keep in mind those four simple "rules" and do pinch when the opportunity presents itself.

 

1) Where is the puck? The guy you are pinching towards does not have the puck yet or does not have full control of the puck. You have to make sure to get to him faster than he can establish puck control and either make a pass or flick the puck against the boards. If you can take away time and space from the guy by pinching - do it.

2) Your partner. The longer you play with your partner - the easier it becomes. There is nothing else that can boost your confidence than the trust you develop with your defense partner. You can take a bit of a risk here and there knowing that he is going to cover you. Talk to him before and after the game, discuss game situations and how you can help each other on the ice. Ask him to cover the middle of the ice when you decide to pinch. Communication in this case makes it perfect. Develop trust in each other, and you no longer will be double guessing yourself.

3) Your line and the opponent's team line. It is no secret that starting probably from pee wee age group every team has first, second and a third line. When as a defense man you are playing with the 1st line you can pinch with more confidence than playing with the 3rd line. Who is on the ice for the other team also matters. You should be a bit more cautious and defensively-minded playing against their top line, and you could take more risk competing against their third line.

4) The Score. Everything else being the same, depending on a score you should either hold back or pinch. Do not pinch if there is a tie or you are leading by a goal or even two goals. Your main responsibility here is to defend and shut the other team down. Your game is expected to be more conservative. Mistakes in one, or two goal games are very costly, so defend first, attack - second. However, if your team is loosing by a pair of goals, pinch, when the opportunity is there. It might be exactly what you team needs to get back in the game.

 

When Not to Pinch.

Stick to the following "rules" and do not pinch when:

1) Your partner is not a reliable defense man. I know you should always be confident in your teammates, but the truth is you will be playing with both stronger and weaker defense partners.You have to use your best judgment here.

2) Your teammates, especially your wingers are out of position. Do not pinch if there is no chance for them to cover you.

3) Your team is losing by one, it's a tie, or your team is winning by one or two. In those game situations you have to hold back and shut the other team down. The exception: When it is late in the game and your team is loosing by one.

4) You are playing against a really fast winger. Be more cautious here or you can get burned.

 

How to pinch.

 

One of the most important hockey tips here. While pinching - do not hesitate. You have to commit everything you have and not second guess yourself. You must accomplish one of two goals:

1) take the puck

2) take the player. It is an absolute key to being a successful and reliable pinching defense man.

Your task is to keep the puck in the other team's zone and create an advantage for your team.

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Keeping The Puck to the Outside on Defense.

When you are playing defense in hockey you always have to stop the other team from getting scoring opportunities. You cannot allow the other team a chance to put the puck in the net. The best way to do this is to keep the puck to the outside. Here are some of the things that you need to do to keep the puck to the outside when you are playing hockey.

The first thing that you need to have is a strong presence in the middle. Having a strong presence is not just about how many players are playing in the middle of the ice, it is also about how good the players in the middle of the ice are. They have to be able to put pressure on the other team and force them to make a mistake. Force the other team to play along the boards and you will not be scored on.

Another thing that you have to have from your players is an understanding of the system that you want to use. If your players do not understand what their jobs are then they are useless. This is something that you will have to work on in practice.

Here are some other things that are necessary when you are trying to keep the puck to the outside of the zone.

1) A system

2) Ability to stop passes from going through the middle

3) Cutting down of shooting angles

4) Knowledge of who the threats on the other team are

As long as you focus on these four things that are talked about in this article then your team will be great. Make sure that your drills reflect these tips and that you have a strategy that is well understood.

If you have any questions about possible hockey strategies that you can use then you should take a look at the defensive strategies [http://www.tipsforhockey.com/Strategy%20Sections/Defensive-Hockey-Strategy.htm].