Trouble handling the puck

[kold]

ok, so i play goal right handed (glove on the left hand) so i use a goalie stick with a left handed curve. this is what feels natural to me when playing the position, but when i shoot, i can only shoot right. i played forward for years shooting right, and goalie with a left curved stick, and just never really handled the puck much.

realizing that i want to work on handling the puck a lot more, it's really difficult for me to do anything since i dont shoot left. i met a goalie who had the same problem and he played with the glove on the left hand but with a right handed stick. i was thinking about doing this too but it just seems too weird. so i figured the only thing i could do was just keep practicing learning to shoot with the wrong hand till i am good at it.

what are your guy's thoughts on playing goal with an oppositely curved stick? im thinking maybe i should just use flat blades but it seems like controlling deflections on stick saves might be harder to deflect into the corners, even more so with a right handed stick when holding it the wrong way.

[Goalie33Avs]

The hardest thing for me was learning how to hold a goalie stick with a catcher and blocker. Learning how to play with a stick & puck with no gloves on didn't seem that difficult, but once i put the gloves on, it was like a foreign language. Try messing around in your garage or something with just ur gloves, stick and a puck.
Try and train your muscle memory to get used to something that naturally feels backwards.
It took me years to be able to become an able puck handler. Just constant practice, on and off the rink is all i can suggest. It'll come eventually.

[TIMMAAYY]

Stick Handling - I Need Help!!!

Try this recent thread... we covered it pretty well; ctcrease makes some good comments and suggestions.

[G-Man]

Originally Posted by kold

what are your guy's thoughts on playing goal with an oppositely curved stick? im thinking maybe i should just use flat blades but it seems like controlling deflections on stick saves might be harder to deflect into the corners, even more so with a right handed stick when holding it the wrong way.

You use your stick for shooting much less often than you use it for other things. So don't handicap yourself by choosing a stick that helps your shooting, but hurts the other 90% of your game.

[kold]

Originally Posted by timmyh911

Stick Handling - I Need Help!!!

Try this recent thread... we covered it pretty well; ctcrease makes some good comments and suggestions.

ah. just read that thread. saw you stick your foot in mouth at the end there, haha.

those are some good suggestions...he's right, even if i went out to handle the puck a lot, its still not much in comparison to how much i need the stick to control the saves.

cool

[TIMMAAYY]

Glad I could provide some humor for you. Being ambidextrous(sp) is something I guess I take for granted... I can't stick handle worth a darn though right-handed. I have more strength overall in my right hand, so I use a lefty stick.

[ncoiler]

I'm the last person who should be saying anything about puckhandling. When I come out to play a loose puck, my team has termed it, "adventures in puckhandling."

I have managed to work around shooting the puck my working on my ability to handle the puck with only my stick hand. I realize that this is only covering up a flaw in my game, but I've come up with ways to cover up a lot of flaws in my game till I could develop that particular skill. Having a great defense helps a great deal too.

[Weirdo]

Originally Posted by kold

ok, so i play goal right handed (glove on the left hand) so i use a goalie stick with a left handed curve. this is what feels natural to me when playing the position, but when i shoot, i can only shoot right. i played forward for years shooting right, and goalie with a left curved stick, and just never really handled the puck much.

On this board, you're a regular or left-handed goalie. If you hold your glove on the right then you're a full right goalie. Just so you don't get yourself or anyone else confused in the future. ;D

[quote]realizing that i want to work on handling the puck a lot more, it's really difficult for me to do anything since i dont shoot left. i met a goalie who had the same problem and he played with the glove on the left hand but with a right handed stick. i was thinking about doing this too but it just seems too weird. so i figured the only thing i could do was just keep practicing learning to shoot with the wrong hand till i am good at it.[quote]
Your pretty much just like a lot of us who are natural righties but catch left. Took me a long time to learn to shoot left handed, I've got it a little now but still a lot of improving ahead of me.

what are your guy's thoughts on playing goal with an oppositely curved stick? im thinking maybe i should just use flat blades but it seems like controlling deflections on stick saves might be harder to deflect into the corners, even more so with a right handed stick when holding it the wrong way.

Your first job is to stop the puck then maybe play it. Unless your playing competitive hockey (Jr A, B and up) puckhandling may not essential. You just need to stop and push the puck a little. It's still good to practice and improve on your puckhandling abilities though.
Using an opposite curve could work against you when it comes to stopping the puck. You shouldn't go beyond a flat blade.