|
Actually, Robb brought up the strongest point on wraparounds. Make the guy go glove side.
Do this by keeping an eye over your shoulder on the puck (not the shooter!) behind the net while playing your body close to the stick side post. The shooter, obviously tempted not to go on the short side will make his move to your "gaping" glove side. The trick is it's MUCH easier to seal your post on glove side because the stick won't tie up in the net and it's easier to keep the blade flat on the ice. If you lead with your stick on your move to the post (as you should always do), you will quickly get the stick over there, followed by your skate and seal off the wraparound. It is also much easier to barrel-block on the glove side but I try not to do this in case he walks out on me. Another advantage is you can control what side he will try for so you can elimintate the guessing game that you'd have to play if you are in the center of the net.
Obviously, if he does try and go short side on you, that's not a problem- you are already there! Biggest mistake though is not sealing your skate on the INSIDE of the post.
Not that I can do the splits or anything but I find that goalies who can do the splits try to incorporate splits into almost every save making them fairly easy to beat. It takes far longer to drop into the splits than into a butterfly. Plus when you go butterfly and the shot is high it's far easier to compensate than going splits. Finally, if a guy gets you to go down in the butterfly too soon, often you can pop right back on your skates while still holding your glove and blocker in position (it takes LOTS of practice) but you can't do this if you go into the splits too soon! I find it fascinating that so many goalies are obsessed with being able to do splits when the truth is it is very, very rare that it is of any benefit at all and in fact often works against goalies because they try to do splits on every save.
Bernie
|