The Mental Game in the Finals

[kalistruth]

Here is a great article on choking that has helped me out:
The Tight Collar: The New Science of Choking Under Pressure | Wired Science | Wired.com

[cjthegoalie34]

Stay in the moment. Go out there and be confident. Maybe listen to some music or watch a goalie highlight film to get you pumped.

[kedjlng3]

Stay calm and collective, focus on the game itself and not the fact it's a finals game

[BP'smom]

I just played in my first championship game this past weekend. God, I was so nervous.. I swear I had the shakes and almost puked before the game... normally I'm really even keeled when I step on the ice.

On the way to the rink, listened to some fave tunes. Dark Horses by Switchfoot and Hamster Dance.

Got dressed and joked as normal.

Sat quietly with eyes closed to visualize the puck and me stopping it.

Took some warm-up and game time.

I just kept telling myself, "See puck, stop puck, cover puck." It kept my mind focused on following the play all over the ice and what all players were doing. Who was carrying the puck and what she tends to do with the puck. This was also the first game or so that I was able to follow the puck into my body or more often the rebound. I was then also more ready to recover and get the second shot or cover up.

From there I just reacted to the puck. I would smile and thank my players for any compliments but I'm still not sure exactly what they were saying to me. Didn't want to get too high and cocky = I can stop anything which I've found makes me lackadaisical. Just kept playing with same intensity.

We won (2-1) and I had a shut-out with 2 min left to go in game. It was a flukey goal and was easy to shake off.

[paulsmachetti]

Originally Posted by NHGoalie

have a couple beers with your team before the game to calm your nerves. Then go on the ice and do what you do, youre a hockey player.

I find when I'm a little nervous before a game I have 2 beers in the locker room while getting dresses and it helps me relax and not over think the game.
paul

[Yapper]

Browsed through a lot of the poss, and pretty much summed everyway you could possibly do. For me after I make that first save its generally smooth sailing from there. I like to tell myself "Don't think, just do" - don't think about making that first save, just do it.