This article is about the goaltender in ice hockey. For the similar position in
other sports, see goalkeeper.
For the basketball foul, see goaltending.
The
goaltender (also known colloquially as the
goalie,
goaler, or
netminder) in ice hockey is the player who defends
his team's goal net by stopping
shots
of the
puck from entering his team's
net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goalie
usually plays in or near the area in front of the net called the
goal crease (often referred to simply as
the
crease or
the net). Due to the power of shots, the
goaltender wears special equipment designed to protect the body
from direct impact. Only one goalie is allowed to be on the ice for
each team at any one time.
As there are no jersey number restrictions in Ice Hockey, a
goaltender could theoretically wear any number from 1 to 99 (or 98
in the
NHL, since
99 is retired throughout the league). However,
most goaltenders wear numbers in the range of 28 to 50 or the
number 1. The most popular jersey number for goaltenders is
30.
Goaltender play in hockey
Goaltending is a specialized position in ice hockey; at higher
levels in the game, no goalies play other positions and no other
players play goalie. A typical ice hockey team may have two or
three goaltenders on its roster.
The goaltender has special privileges that other players do not. He
wears special
goaltending equipment that
is different from that worn by other players, and is subject to
specific regulations. The goalie may legally hold (or freeze) the
puck with his hands to cause a stoppage of play. If a player from
the other team hits the goaltender without making an attempt to get
out of his way, the offending player may be penalized. In some
leagues (including the NHL), if a goalie's stick breaks, he can
continue playing with a broken stick until the play is stopped,
unlike other players who must drop any broken sticks
immediately.
Additionally, if a goaltender acts in such a way that would cause a
normal player to be given a penalty, such as slashing or tripping
another player, the goaltender cannot be sent to the penalty box.
Instead, one of the goaltender's teammates is sent to the penalty
box in his or her place. However, the goalie does receive the
penalty minutes on the scoresheet.
Saves
When a goaltender blocks or stops a shot from going into his goal
net, that action is called a
save.
Goalies often use a particular style, but in general they make
saves any way they can: catching the puck with their glove hand,
deflecting the shot with their stick, blocking it with their leg
pads or blocker or another part of their body, or collapsing to
butterfly position to block any low shot coming, especially in
close proximity. After making a save, the goaltender attempts to
control the rebound to avoid a goal scored by an opposing player
when the goaltender is out of position ('scoring on a rebound'), or
to allow the goalie's own team to get control of the puck. Goalies
may catch or hold a puck shot at the net to better control how it
re-enters play. If there is immediate pressure from the opposing
team, a goalie may choose to hold on to the puck (for a second or
more, with judgment from the referee) to stop play for a face-off.
If a goalie holds on to the puck for too long without any pressure
they may be subject to a 2-minute 'delay of game' penalty.
Recently, in the NHL and AHL, goalies have been restricted as to
where they can play the puck behind the net.
See also: shot on goal, save percentage, and goals against average.
Glossary and techniques
- Angle play: The method where, by positioning
themselves in a direct line between the puck (not the shooter) and
the net, a goaltender covers more of the net than he would
otherwise be able to. One of the most notable angle goaltenders was
Bernie Parent.
See main article: Blocker .
- Blocker: Also known as a waffle, this
equipment is worn on the right hand (for right-handed goaltenders),
the blocker is a rectangular piece of equipment with a glove to
hold the stick. It protects the wrist area, and can be used to
direct shots away from the net. The blocker should be positioned at
one's side, and at a height which allows the goaltender's stick to
remain flat on the ice. Some goalies, such as Rick DiPietro of the New York Islanders, and Tomas Vokoun of the Florida Panthers have their blocker and
stick on the left hand, and their trapper on the right hand. This
setup is described as a 'Full-right' goalie.
- Butterfly save: On low shots, modern
goaltenders usually work in the "butterfly" position, keeping their
knees together and their stick covering their five-hole, or knee gap. The glove is kept up,
ready for a possible deflection, and the goaltender is focused on
the incoming shot. Goaltenders should keep both arms out in front
of them, covering the gaps between the goaltender's arms and body
(sometimes called the 7 and 11 holes, and making it easier to
direct rebounds with the stick and blocker.
- Holes one through five: When a goaltender
stands in the net in the ready position, there are five open areas
that the goalie must cover. They are:
- Glove side, high: this area is defined by the goaltender's arm
and catcher on the bottom, mask on the inside, and the post and top
of the goal on the outside.
- Glove side, low: this area is defined by the goaltender's arm
and catcher on the top, the ice on the bottom, and the outside post
of the goal. During a butterfly-style save, this area is closed off
completely and the catcher is typically stacked on top of the leg
pad as the leg is extended to cover the post.
- Stick side, high: this area is defined by the goal post, top of
the goal, and the goalie's arm and blocker. The top half of the
goaltender's stick is held in this area, but is not commonly used
for stopping the puck.
- Stick side, low: this area is the lower half of the stick side,
defined by the blocker and arm, the ice, and the outer post of the
goal. During a butterfly save this area is also covered by the leg
pad with the blocker stacked on top to protect against low shots.
When a goaltender is standing, the paddle of their stick is used to
cover this area and to deflect the puck away from the net.
- 'Five Hole': the fifth and final area is between the goalie's
leg pads and skates. This area is protected by the blade of the
stick at all times, and is closed up by the upper leg pads when the
goalie is in the butterfly position.
- Leg pads: Worn on the goaltender's legs to
both protect the legs and help stop shots. The leg pads may not be
more than in width. (Current NHL Rules have reduced this to in
width, while also restricting the overall height to
38 inches.) The leg pads should come to about three inches
above the knee. Pads that are too long will affect balance and
timing; pads that are too short will not protect the knees or allow
the goaltender to make butterfly saves properly.
- (Leg) pad save: A save made with any part of
the leg pads. The goaltender should remain relaxed and skate
backwards with the incoming shot, thus helping to absorb the blow
and reduce the rebound effect. One type of leg pad save is the
butterfly save.
- Lie: The angle created between the handle of a
goaltender's stick and the paddle. The higher the lie, the closer
the stick resembles the capital letter "L".
- Paddle: The thick part of the goaltender's
stick, not to be confused with the blade; the blade should remain
flat on the ice as often as possible.
- Paddle down: A type of stance by the
goaltender when the play is coming from the corner to the front of
the net and the puck carrier is carrying the puck in front of the
net looking to score. Here the goaltender puts the stick down on
the ground, parallel to the ice,
with the leg farthest from the post down and the other up and ready
to push. This works well against angled rushes or wrap arounds where the skater would normally
out–skate the goalie. The skater does have the top part of the net
to shoot at, but it is difficult to lift the puck over the goalie
from up close. The paddle down stance is also effective against low
passes from behind the net to players looking to score from the
slot.
- Poke check: When the goaltender wants to poke
the puck away from an opposing player, he quickly slides his hand
up the stick, thrusting forward towards the puck. This is a risky
play, and occasionally the goaltender will miss and the
puck-carrier will be left with an unguarded net.
- Screen shot: Screen shots are blind shots, in
which the goalie has to anticipate where the puck will hit. In the
screen shot, another player (usually an opponent, but sometimes the
goaltender's own teammate) stands between the shooter and the
goaltender, obscuring the goaltender's vision of the shot. On a
screen shot, the goaltender must do everything possible to try to
see the shot, dropping to the butterfly stance and thrusting their
trapper out at the sound of a shot. Some goalies, such as Ed Belfour or Ron
Hextall, go as far as (illegally) punching players in the head
or slashing their legs.
- Shuffle: A technique for lateral movement when
the puck is relatively close to the net. The goaltender slides his
legs, one at a time, in the desired direction. If the goaltender is
not quick this technique momentarily leaves the five-hole open.
This is the most common method of movement for a goaltender.
- Skate save: A save made with the goaltender's
skate. The goaltender decides which direction the rebound should
travel in, and turns his skate in that direction. Then, bending the
other leg, he pushes towards the puck with the off leg, as the bent
knee drops to the ice. This move is rarely used and widely thought
of as "not effective"
- Skating: A common fallacy is that the
goaltender can get by with merely adequate skating, and often young
players are placed in net due to their poor skating. In fact, the
goaltender must be one of the best technical skaters on the team,
and must be able to keep up with the moves of every skater on
opposing teams. In particular, goaltenders must be adept at lateral
skating and quick pivoting. Goaltenders must also have exceptional
leg strength and the capability for very explosive movement.
- Stacked Pad Slide: When a goaltender is on the
angle, often a sudden pass close to the net will leave the net
relatively unguarded. Stacking the pads is a desperation move in
which the goaltender slides feet-first, with legs together (and
consequently, "stacked"), across the crease, attempting to cover as
much space as possible.
- Stance: In a proper stance, the goaltender has
the weight on the balls of his feet, the trapper and blocker just
above knee-height and slightly out in front so they can be seen in
the goalies peripheral vision, and the stick flat on the ice.
Stance should also be conformed to the goaltender's style and
comfort.
- Stick: The stick, held by the goaltender in
their blocker hand, the blade of the stick should remain flat on
the ice. Keep notice of the lie on a new stick. A high lie will
force a goaltender to play on their heels, offsetting balance,
while a low lie places a goaltender lower to the ice, and may
affect high saves.
- Stick save: A save made with the goaltender's
stick. On stick saves, the goaltender should not keep a tight grip
on the stick, instead allowing the shot's momentum to push the
stick back into the skates/pads, cushioning the blow.
- Stood on his head: This is a term to describe
an outstanding performance by an ice hockey goaltender in a short
period of time. Often when a goalie lets out a rebound, the
opposition returns the shot quickly, and the goalie has to make a
quick save. A goalie often falls on his side and "stacks the pads"
and appears to nearly stand on their head. The term may have been
derived after NHL President Frank Calder, alluding to the 1918
rules change that permitted goalies to leave their feet to make a
save, remarked, "As far as I am concerned, they can stand on their
head(s)."
- T-push: A technique used by goaltenders to
move in a lateral direction. To perform a t-push, a goaltender
directs his outside skate in the desired direction, pushing with
both legs, covering the five hole. This method of lateral movement
is most effective when the puck is far from the net. Use of this
move when the puck is in close will result in a goal through the "5
Hole"
- Telescoping: Telescoping is a method of moving
inward and outward from the goal crease. Most often used in setting
up prior to the puck entering their zone, this move is accomplished
by simply allowing your skates to separate, resulting in forward
motion, then pulling your skates back together and stopping. At no
time during a telescope do your skates leave the ice. This can also
be referred to as skulling or bubbling.
- Trapper: This piece of equipment is often
referred to simply as the "glove", and it was originally shaped in
the same fashion as a baseball glove, it has evolved into a highly
specific piece of equipment that is designed specifically for
catching the puck. Some of the more significant changes are the use
of a "string mesh" in the pocket of the trapper, and the
substantial palm and wrist protection. The pocket is the area
between the thumb and first finger of the glove, and is where most
goaltender's try to catch the puck, as it reduces the discomfort of
the goaltender and the chance of a rebound falling out of the
glove. The trapper can be held in a variety of positions depending
upon the individual goaltender, but the trend among younger
goaltenders is to hold the glove with the palm facing towards the
shooter, instead of the "shake hands" position that was popular for
so long. The "Cheater" portion of the glove is the part that covers
the wrist of the goltender.
- Pro-fly: This style of play is derived from
the butterfly style of play, although most will argue that this is
nothing more than a marketing term. Current leg pad design allows
for the full face of the pad to be perpendicular to the ice,
maximizing blocking area. This is also called "flaring the pad",
almost all modern goaltenders play this style. The stance is very
wide and low to maximize the amount of body blocking the net. Many
of today's great goaltenders have adopted this technique since it
allows for quick recovery and forces the shooter to get the puck
off the ice to score. The more efficient users of this style
include Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers, Pascal LeClaire
of the Ottawa Senators, and Martin Gerber. This is still considered
a butterfly motion, as the mechanics of making the save are the
same, however it is the design of the leg pad that achieves this
rotation more than anything.
Playing styles
Stand-up style
There are many ways to stop the puck. The oldest one is the
"Stand-up" style. In this style,
goaltenders are to stop the puck from a standing position, not
going down. The Goalies may bend over to stop the puck with their
upper body or may kick the puck. Such saves made by kicking are
known as kick saves or skate saves. They may also simply use their
stick to stop it, known as a stick save. This was the style seen in
the early NHL and was most commonly used up until the early 60's.
One of the more notable goalies who was last seen using stand up
was
Bill Ranford, but most of the
goalies from earlier decades such as
Jacques Plante were goalies who were
considered pure stand up goalies.
Butterfly style
Another style is the "
Butterfly",
where goalies go down on both pads with their toes pointing
outwards and the tops of their pads meeting in the middle, thus
completely closing up the
five hole. This
is generally the most common style used in the modern day. This
results in a "wall" of padding without any holes, lowering the
chances of low angle shots getting in. These goalies rely mainly on
timing and position. Early innovators of this style were
goaltending greats
Glenn Hall and
Tony Esposito , who played during the
50's-60's and 70's-80's, respectively. Hall is generally credited
to be among the very first to use this style, and both he and
Esposito had tremendous success with it. This is the most widely
used style in the NHL today. "Butterfly" goalies have developed
methods of sliding in the "Butterfly" position in order to move
around fast in one timer situations. As pad size increased, it
became a more notable style of goaltending and is still evolving.
One of the best butterfly goalies of all time is the Canadian
goalie
Patrick Roy, who is now
retired.
Hybrid style
This style of goaltending is a blend of all styles, where the
goaltender primarily relies on reaction and positioning to make
saves. Hybrid goaltenders will make kick saves, will utilize the
butterfly, and are generally not as predictable as goaltenders who
rely heavily on the butterfly as a save selection. Most players are
not pure stand-up or butterfly, but simply tend to prefer stand-up
or butterfly over the other. If a player does not have any
preferences, he is considered a hybrid goalie. NHL goaltenders
known for using this style are
Martin
Brodeur,
Pascal Leclaire,
Jaroslav Halak,
Tim Thomas and
Ryan Miller.
Empty net situations
Normally, the goalie plays in or near the goal crease the entire
game. However, teams may legally
pull the goalie by
substituting in a normal skater and taking the goaltender off the
ice. A team temporarily playing with no goalie is said to be
playing with an
empty net. This gives the team an
extra attacker, but at significant risk—if
the opposing team gains control of the puck, they may easily score
a goal. However, shooters that attempt to score on an empty net
from the opposite side of the red line face getting called for
icing the puck if they miss the
net. Two common situations where a Goalie is generally pulled are
as follows. When the opposing team has a delayed penalty coming
against them, the offended team, if in control of the puck, will
pull their goaltender for an extra man. This is safe since as soon
as a player on the team to be penalized touches the puck, the
whistle is called, so they cannot score on the empty net. This
effectively increases the one-man disadvantage beyond the standard
penalty time. The second situation is when a team desperately needs
a goal in order to avoid losing, such as the last minute or two of
a game. The 6 on 5 play advantage is very risky, as it is fairly
certain that if the opposing team gets control of the puck they
will be able to
score on the empty
net. Sometimes if a team is trailing in the last minutes of
regulation, and has a power play advantage, they may pull the
goaltender for a 6 on 4 advantage.
A goal scored in an empty net situation is not recorded as a missed
save on the personal stats of the goaltender who has left the
ice.
NHL goaltender awards
- The Vezina Trophy is awarded each
year by the NHL to the
league's most outstanding goaltender as determined by the general
managers of the teams.
- The William M.
Jennings Trophy is
awarded each year by the NHL to the goaltender(s) from the team
that allowed the fewest goals during the regular season.
- The Roger Crozier
Saving Grace Award is awarded each year by the NHL to the
goaltender with the best save percentage during the regular
season.
Goalies credited with goals
A goalie scoring a goal in an NHL game is a very rare feat, having
occurred only eleven times in the history of the National Hockey
League, the first time occurring in 1979 after the league had been
in existence for six decades. NHL rules forbid goaltenders from
participating in play past the center line, so a goal by a goalie
is possible only under unusual circumstances.
Seven of those eleven goals resulted from the goalie shooting into
an empty net. The remaining four goals were not actually shot into
the net by the goalie; rather the goalie was awarded the goal
because he was the last player on his team to touch the puck before
the opposition scored on themselves.
Ron
Hextall and
Martin Brodeur are
the only NHL goalies to be credited with two career goals (each
scoring once in the regular season and once in the playoffs),
though only Hextall has scored two goals by shooting the puck into
an empty net.
Damian Rhodes and
José Théodore are the only
goalies in NHL history to score a goal in which they also had a
shutout game. San Joses Shark's Evgeni
Nabokov was the first Russian goaltender to score a goal and the
first goaltender to score a power play goal.
NHL
AHL
A chronological list of goals scored in the AHL by goalies:
- Darcy Wakaluk, December 5, 1987,
Rochester Americans at
Utica.
- Paul Cohen, March 28, 1992, Springfield Indians vs. Rochester.
- Robb Stauber, October 9, 1995,
Rochester Americans at Prince
Edward Island.
- Christian Bronsard, October
30, 1999, Syracuse Crunch at
Rochester.
- Jean-François
Labbé, February 5, 2000, Hartford
Wolf Pack at Quebec.
- Chris Mason, October
15, 2001, Milwaukee Admirals at
Utah.
- Antero Niittymäki, April
11, 2004, Philadelphia
Phantoms at Hershey.
- Seamus Kotyk, April 17, 2005,
Milwaukee Admirals at San
Antonio.
- Drew MacIntyre, February 20,
2008, Manitoba Moose at Chicago.
KHL
CHL
The first recorded instance of a professional goalie scoring a goal
occurred on February 21, 1971, in the CHL. In a game between the
Oklahoma City Blazers and the
Kansas City Blues, the Oklahoma
City Blazers were trailing 2-1 and decided to pull their
goaltender.
Michel Plasse, the
goaltender for the Kansas City Blues then scored on an open
net.
NCAA
Damian Rhodes was credited with a goal while
playing with Michigan Technological
University
.
2.GBun
Junior hockey
On January 7, 1987,
Chris Clifford of
the
Kingston Canadians scored an
empty-net goal against Toronto, becoming the first OHL goalie to
score a goal. While playing for the
Medicine Hat Tigers,
Chris Osgood scored an empty-net goal; as well,
Olaf Kolzig scored a goal while with the
Tri-City Americans. On April 20,
1993,
Fred Brathwaite scored a goal
while with the
Detroit Jr.
Whalers. On February 21, 1997, the
Muskoka Bears'
Ryan Venturelli became the first known
goaltender in hockey history to score two goals (both empty net) in
a hockey game. The goals came in an 11-6 win against the
Durham Huskies during the
Metro Junior A Hockey League
1996-97 regular season. On March 30, 2004,
Justin Peters, then with the
Toronto St. Michael's Majors
scored an empty-net goal during the playoffs against the
Sudbury Wolves. On September 25, 2005,
Antoine Lafleur of the
P.E.I. Rocket was
credited with an empty-net powerplay goal against the
Halifax Mooseheads. On December 6, 2008,
in two separate games, two different QMJHL goalies scored goals;
Peter Delmas (
Lewiston MAINEiacs)
was credited with a goal against the
Quebec Remparts and Maxim Gougeon (
Rimouski Oceanic) scored an empty-netter
against the
Cape Breton
Screaming Eagles. In June 2009, during a junior B playoff game,
Brantford Golden Eagles
goaltender Daryl Borden scored an empty-netter.
See also
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