Raaahhhhh!!!

[Fish]

For the last 2 weeks I have been playing HORRIBLE at my weekly pick up game. Simply horrible. I am fully capable of dominating against the level of players that skate at the game every week. Most of these guys play in the league I will be playing in. For some reason I have been letting in really, really soft goals. Like, a BUNCH of them every week. Stupid crap that I should be stopping every time.

The league play starts up on sunday. This will be my first league play in a few years. I think maybe I am over thinking my play. That and I am a little anxious about getting some real games in . Ones that count in league standings.


Just thought I would vent here where I know others will understand my struggles.

Thanks for listening and have a great day!!

[Ryeno42]

What league is this?

What pickup are you talking about?

[Fish]

Roller. Out in Calabasas.

[Mondo]

Just relax out there and dont think to much. I was in a slump a few weeks ago like you where I was giving up some really crappy goals in practices and scrimages and I found that I was just thinking to much on every play. You know what to do so just let your body do it.

[Fish]

Thanks. I do believe that is my problem. That and I think that my skill level is not coming back as quickly as I would like. Part of that might have to do with getting older. it is kind of frustrating.

But yes, I do also think the bigger problem is over thinking everything. Just need to relax and let it come naturaly.

[hockey-rocks899]

i had the same problem, kept over shooting the puck, a guy would take a slap shot, and i would react to fast and it go in under my arm. lol

just relax, dont think.

what has help me alot with my mental game are thoughs goalies world magazines. buy number 49,50,51, they have mental training from the flames goalie coach its awesome. it help me out a lot

[dreadlockgoalie]

I wasn't aware that any players expected us to do anything in roller pick-up besides act as targets.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by dreadlockgoalie

I wasn't aware that any players expected us to do anything in roller pick-up besides act as targets.

I don't really care what they expect. It is what I expect of myself that matters. And right now I am not playing up to my expectations. The players never have anything bad to say about my play. I suspect if I play this bad in the league... I may hear about it .Haha!!


I am really lucky to have a really cool group of guys at my pick up game. Very low key.

[Cujo_64]

maybe the players have figured out your weak points and are playing smarter. I too have been in a slump, Ive gone from a 2 goals allowed max per game to 3 or 4 in the last month, its been rough on me. the new team im playing for has lost faith in me as they were wondering what happend. Im not sure either, but I know focus and a worry about how many I let in got to me before, I went out last night and just played and that helped. Rob

[Fish]

Some of it may be the players figuring out my weekness' and believe me I have plenty. The goals I allow due to my week spots I can kind of live with. it is the ones that I know I should be stopping that i have a hard time with.

I am pretty hard on myself about allowing goals though. I don't let it ruin the next play, but I am always aggrivated at the time of the goal.

[ch1co]

Can you get observations from some of the players, or another goalie, after your pickup session? In the heat of play I often have no idea why I let a stoppable one in, but its stoppable status is usually visible to everyone. I make it a point after the game (and this is easier in pickup) to seek out someone (preferably the guy who scored on me) to ask what I was showing that could have led to the goal.

Lots of times it's something fundamental that you're not even aware of. For me, having played a lot of goal without the aid of defense, I sometimes overanticipate that the puck will be passed to one of those wide-open players standing in a high-percentage scoring area. While it's good to have a read, overanticipation can cause you to lose squareness to the puck, which gives the guy with the puck more incentive to shoot.

Lifting my stick is another popular brainfart, as is leaning too far forward in my stance and not maintaining active hands. Here are some things I cycle through when I'm giving up ones I should stop; of course YMMV:

--Are you getting pieces of shots before they go in, or do you feel like you're just missing them? If so, check your positioning and make sure you're square to the puck.

--Also, if you find yourself not catching as much as you used to, batting at the puck or not being able to direct pucks with your blocker the way you want to, make sure you're maintaining active hands.

--When you go down, do you have trouble with upper-body balance? If so, make sure your torso is more upright in your stance.

--Stick down speaks for itself, but pay special attention when you are shuffling.

Visualizing is a good tool; I also find a quiet place where I can skate before play starts. It doesn't have to be too large. Get into your stance, do some drops (slowly at first) and make sure you are fundamentally solid. This will allow you to correct any flaws at your own pace in a controlled environment, then make additional tweaks during warmups. This will get you as ready as you can be once play starts.

Hope this helps; let us know how your first game goes.

[Fish]

I try to ask players as often as I can after a goal what I was giving them. It helps.

Lifting my stick while shuffling seems to be a popular response from them. That and I was a step out of position to either side. I tend to cheat a little to by stick side as I have always been terrible low stick. I need to break myself of that.

Positioning is the part of my game that is coming back the slowest. I find myself moving too much lateraly during plays. It drives me insane. Especialy when I give up goals from it.

I really feel like it is time for me to adapt more of a butterfly style. I tend to stand up a little too much I think. I feel like that is a source of the amount of goals to the low posts. I allow very few goals on shots from the knee up.

In close around the net I play a half butterfly paddle down style. It works well. My game there is pretty tight. I just need to be stopping the first shot more often.


Thanks for the tips. I'll try to keep that stuff in mind.

[Fish]

Originally Posted by ch1co

let us know how your first game goes.

It didn't go so good. 3 goalies showed up so I only got to play 1/2 the game. I allowed 8 goals in the 30 minutes I played. I allowed 3 goals on the first 4 shots.

It was pretty bad. First goal was a break away that I could have stopped. At least the guy who scored was easily the best player on the rink all day. I think he scored like 4 goals on me total. I stopped him on a breakaway later in the game so I felt good about that. the next one was a well placed shot that I should have been able to get to, but I can live with it because at least it was a good shot (same good player as the first goal). The third was a trickler from the low slot. I definetly should have had that one. The rest were just a collection of crap I should have had.



The goalie in the other end played the whole game and allowed 10 goals. He was a pretty good goalie so I don't feel quite as bad. The other goalie I split time with only allowed 1 goal in the 30 minutes he played. He was also pretty good.

I watched the first game and both of those goalies were not so good but allowed the same number of goals.

Not sure what that means exactly, but it doesn't look good. Maybe I am one of those "not so good" goalies as well?

[KDB]

How long did you not play hockey? And how long have been playing pickup since you started again?

Most recently, I didn't play for a year. It took me most of a season (2 months or so) before I felt I was near where I should be.

And pickup, while good practice, is a fair amount different than a game...

[Fish]

4 years

3 months

and yes I agree pick up is very different than a game.