Saves of the week 12/01 - too much details

10 - Schneider vs Moss
A goalie sometimes need to be like a clown with spring legs: that leg just needs to move out by reflex.

9 - Johnson vs Commodore
Good goaltenders will dare you to go top-corner glove side... not only because of the show elements involved but because it is the purest battle of skills: it's the shooter's precision and power versus the arm speed and hand strength.

8 - Anderson vs Drury
There is no reason for the going-nowhere Panthers to keep Vokoun around when you have a young guy like Anderson playing this well. They need to cash in the veteran (and for more than a broken down Bertuzzi this time!). Anderson follows the play perfectly, stays square to the puck and makes a very nice glove save

7 - Sanford vs Willie Mitchell
If you have no angle and nobody to pass the puck to, just shoot towards the net and hope for the puck to hit a skate. Perfect attempt by the Wings and perfect redirect by Mitchell's skate only saved by the quick reflexes of the Canucks backup. Watch after the play... Kesler is the one going to his goalie to give him a few good words. Mitchell, the guy who caused the play, is just skating away like nothing happened... not what I expect from a guy complimented for his leadership qualities.

6 - Hedberg vs Grabovski
Players have become so proficient at the saucer pass over the sprawling dman on odd-man rushes. You never saw that in the 80s except maybe from Gretzky or the top 10 players in the league... now everybody can pass it up anywhere to anybody... and only a great lateral move and snappy blocker move prevented a goal.

5 - Roloson vs Boyes
Another two-on-one rush, another great pass through the defenseless defenseman and another great save needed. This time a nice desperation glove save as Roloson came so far out of the net to cut off shot angles that he was completely out of position and had to get down on his knees to reach out.

4 - Turco vs Hemsky
Even when Turco was part of previous weekly top ten, I bashed him pretty hard for being out of position, scrambling and being lucky... but here, he played perfectly. Sadly, we can't say the same for his defense which stood around and watched Hemsky smoothly navigate the crease. Turco had no choice but to come out to challenge, cutting down any angle and controlling the crease, forcing Hemsky to the outside with a nifty move that only a strong paddle stopped.

3 - Osgood vs Hansen
Not many things are worse than a pointman with awful aim... there is no way you can be ready for a puck shot 20 feet wide and bouncing to the other side of the net!

2 - Theodore vs Bouchard
Brent Burns has some very soft hands for a big strapping guy. He made a perfect pass after a good fake and Bouchard completed the play perfectly by lifting the puck high but an incredible move by Theodore saves the day: great leg push, body still straight, glove held high... and with his center of gravity at the knee level... textbook lateral move

1- Leclaire vs Franzen
What more can a guy do? He feints the goalie out of his skates, sends him sprawling, circle around then lifts the puck! Yet somehow, it found Leclaire's stick and his strong hand stop that puck from going in. never give up!

Saves of the week 11/24 - too much details

10 - Kiprusoff vs McCormick
This save looks easier than it was. Wraparounds with traffic in front are always difficult as the goalie must not only hugh his post and cover the angle but also keep track of who is where close by... so a good first save then a quick rebound shot stopped by a great leg extension in perfect position. Nevermind throwing yourself across! Just extend and stay ready for any possible rebound.

9 - MacDonald vs Langenbrunner
This kid is making Dipietro irrelevant on Long Island... in every aspect except salary of course. His technique is excellent and while he needs to work on rebound control, his skills keep him ahead. This play is a great example: the first save from the point through traffic was already pretty good but he immediately gets back up and ready (the sign of a goalie used to seeing lots of rubber and not having his dmen handle rebounds maybe?), a great top corner shot from the slot suddenly becomes almost an easy showoff glove save.

8 - Tellqvist vs Richards
It was a nice lateral movement from the goalie but really, I'm not even sure that puck was going in! Look at the angle, it was going somwhere near the opposite post... Richards choked on the perfect pass from the point and an empty net.

7 - Boucher vs Koistinen
Now this is a good redirect into an empty net! That puck was on the Preds' stick for a fraction of a second and it was going straight in brushing the post... but the NHL record holder for consecutive shutout minutes had other ideas and did a nice controlled slide stopped gently by the post, his pads in perfect position and denying a certain goal. Look how straight up he ends up too, ready for any possible rebound.

6 - Budaj vs Glencross
This is only here because Budaj fundled the bouncy first shot as the 2nd save was jsut a spread eagle desperation sprawl that would have went in with a more patient shooter. There isn't much that can be taught or practiced about those bouncy pucks... They flip, bounce, change directions, slow and speed up randomly... All you can do is expect the weirdest bounce and stay ready for the rebound to go far away.

5 - Price vs Babchuk
Like the announcers said, somebody else than the sneaking-behind-coverage dman might have slapped this top corner but it doesn't take anything away from the nice save from the young kid. Check how he does that lateral move: a very gentle controlled push... he isn't shoving himself across the crease; he just gives himself some momentum and the leg extension does the rest. What this gives you as a much more straight position with your arms in position to grab the puck and your center of gravity still close to the middle so that you can get back in stance for any possible rebounds (unless your dman shoves the dude on you of course!). Good technique does not always look spectacular but the results are really what matters

4 - Kolzig vs Zajac
Long strong arms will allow you to use a paddle like this and make some great saves right there on the red line.

3 - Clemmensen vs Folik
The save was awesome but made this such a great stop? It was his bundling of the wraparound! There are two dmen around the guy, no other Panthers anywhere close yet the goalie decides to go down on one knee and stick his paddle down on the ice... that put him completely out of position and compromised against the post. Only the fact Frolik was way out there in the faceoff circle gave enough time for Clemmensen to get back up and stick out his hand.

2 - MacDonald vs Parise
5-on-3s are impossible. The offense can have an open player on both sides of the net at the same time. The only thing left is to play it deep in your crease and only come out when the threat level rise up... and even then, you cant go too far as you wont be able to cover the other side. MacDonald just stretched enough to make a great save

1 - Luongo vs Redden
Luongo plays an extremely aggressive game, stepping out of his crease all the time and only his strong technique, long limbs and refusal to give up allow him to make such saves.

Saves of the week 11/18 - too much details

10 – Ersberg vs Erat
Leg strength is essential for a goalie. Reflexes & positioning will give you the tools to make saves but a strong leg allows Ersberg here to move quickly across the crease and close down a wide open net before a good player can wrist it past. It was a very nice controlled slide across, maybe a bit too crouched down but still alert and with a ready glove. Of course if the Kings weren’t running like chickens with their heads cut off, Erat might have been covered and this a complete non-play.

9 – Lundqvist vs Zubrus
One of my biggest pet peeves: the panic grabbing some goalies once they lose their stick. Chill out dude! You’ve got pads, a blocker and your glove still on, you will make it out if you keep cool! Here, Lundqvist loses his stick, gets one from his dman but that’s not good enough and he tells the defenseman to go grab his stick in the corner…. The Devils of course are uncaring about poor lil Henrik without his stick and uses that time to go for the now defenseman-less goal. Lundqvist does however keep some of his cool, follows the puck, moves nicely and is in perfect position, the puck hitting his outstretched leg.

8 – Ersberg vs Barch
Avery might be a douchebag but he plays a good physical game. Incredible pass across the crease but Ersberg shows off his lateral movement by pushing off and cutting off a perfect one-timer.

7 – Deslauriers vs Callahan
Goalies have gotten back at this in recent years but we still see some goalies freezing when they underarm the puck like that: they think they have it and don’t want to move in case the puck falls off. Nevermind the puck falling if you aren’t sure where it is! If you have the puck, stand still… if you aren’t sure, move, look, check around, make sure you have it!, don’t stand there until a whistle blows… or the red light goes in.

6 – Mason vs Vanek
This is how you handle the league top scorer barring down at you on a breakaway! You follow him without flinching, letting him do the first move and commit… of course when the shooter commits, you need to have the athleticism and quickness to stick your leg in time and deny him!

5 – Turco vs ??? (if anyone knows that was, I couldn’t make out the jersey)
Spectacular play but the save wasn’t that great. The shooter shot it in the middle of the net instead of the whole empty half. Turco basically didn’t move or do anything. Sometimes that’s all you need to look like a great goalie

4 – Bryzgalov vs Modin
Lateral moves need to be controlled. This is not a slide with inertia stopping you. It has to be a muscle controlled move that ends with the goalie in his stance ready to make a save. This rule applies to all goalie except Dominik Hasek. Bryzgalov shows how to do that as the Jackets play tic-tac-toe across the crease. Great athleticism bringing about a great pad save.

3 – Ward vs Little
Forget Bryzgalov! Now this is a pad save! All reflex too: a strong push from side to side with the leg outstretched and the young Thrasher is denied

2 – Theodore vs Parise
A great desperation save by a confused goalie, laying down his paddle to cover at least some of the completely empty net.

1 – Budaj vs Sedin
Look at #8 from two weeks ago. This looks like a set play for the Canucks as they pass the puck so quickly all over. Budaj is quick as a cat here and there simply is no way that puck could have went in

Saves of the week 11/10 - too much details

10 - Lundqvist vs Lecavalier
Henrik Lundqvist probably has the best lateral movement in the league. Everything is so smooth, in control and effortless... he just glides over, one defenseman right in his face blocking the whole side and another d-man dropping down in front... yet, that doesn't phase him at all, the puck is the only thing he sees and he makes a great glove save on one of the most lethal wrist shooters.

9 - MacDonald vs Rozsival
Perfect play by the Rangers Dman. He has a perfect lane and angle for his shot and does not waste one second to let it rip. MacDonald looked bad earlier being down way too early but recuperated and set up nicely (if late for the point shot). He did reach out quite a bit behind him and made a very nice save. A good example why goalies should keep their glove hand behind them, quite a while behind the pad to give them that extra second to grab those pucks out of the air.

8 - Hedberg vs Vanek
A funny play but this is not a save of the week. A great example of a flopping goalie though. A good week of practice with play behind the net would really help this guy. He had no clue what to do, just threw himself around hoping the player would go that way.

7 - Weekes vs Vanek
Stretch that leg... Find that spot in the crease where a stretched leg will fit perfectly against the post and you suddenly will stop everything that is not up in the air. This is not a reflex save as Vanek was fumbling a bit, its just a positioning play with a perfectly outstretched pad leaving nothing for the shooter.

6 - Anderson vs Getzlaf
I said in another post that the Panthers should trade Vokoun and give Anderson a shot. The kid has great stats in spot duty and for a team going nowhere, they really should get some value for a mid 30s guy like Vokoun. A nice first save with a controlled rebound but Corey Perry gets it first and it somehow ends right there for Getzlaf. Anderson plays it well even though he is way out of position, sprawled out sideways: he waits for Getzlaf to make the shot before moving. Most goalies in that position would scramble to move over to cover the net or flail their arms around but you should always wait out the shooter, regardless of the situation you are in.

5 - Bishop vs Pavelski
A young kid getting a chance in STL due to injury and he isn't doing so bad (2 games and a half, 2.41 and .917). Looking back behind you is not a sign of weakness, it's the fighting spirit of never giving up.... of course, a long ass arm really helps to be able to catch up to those pucks!

4 - Garon vs Penguins
One of the worst aim in history! Talbot is 10 feet out yet almost takes out Crosby 3 feet to the right of the net. A nice strong paddle stops the rebound shot

3 - Giguere vs Calder
One hell of a save. Giguere plays way up in the crease and with his defense uncaring for the rebound, he is suddenly way out of position for the goalline outlet guy... but he keeps his eyes on the puck and reaches out, somehow winning the strength contest against Calder's stick. I never really watched Calder play or understood what made him an underachiever but this play shows a softness and ... and just not putting 100% strength and effort into every play, even when it looks like an empty net. I guarantee you Ovechkin, Lecavalier, Iginla are shoving both the puck and Giguere's glove into the net on that play!

2 - Osgood vs Elias
Awesome reaction by Elias when he gets robbed. Why is it that so many guys barely seem to care when they get stopped like that? This game is all about passion! Words are not really necessary for a save like that... it's part luck, part anticipation, 100% game changer.

1 - Turco vs Thornton
I don't want to keep bashing a struggling Turco but there is so much wrong in this play. Look how early and purposelessly Turco goes down. Thornton is still behind the net, has a dman on his back... and this is Joe Thornton! he will make a pass 90% of the time! Turco is down against the post, his paddle paralel to the goal (so useless to stop a cross crease pass) and the whole other side of the goal is empty. He should have stayed up and this puck would have hit him in the chest for an easy save. Instead, he is down and stuck, the puck hits him on the head, the back and he contorts himself to make a save. It's a cool play but not a great save.

Saves of the week 11/03 - too much details

10 - Osgood vs Perry
Good technique will get you far. This is a perfect example of a post-to-post lateral movement done calmly and in control. Perry also showed his skills by not one-timing it towards the goal but setting his shot and going top corner... but Osgood excellent positioning allowed him to steal the show with a great glove save.

9 - Ward vs Horcoff
One of the most difficult thing for a goalie is to follow a bouncy puck like this. Even a tic-tac-toe play is easier to track as you know where the puck is going... but a bouncy puck like that is going wherever and you cannot anticipate... all you can do is react! exactly what Cam Ward does by stretching the leg on a great shot from Horcoff.

8 - Thomas vs Sedin
The Sedin twins are doing what they do best: controlling the puck then making no-look pass to a suddenly free brother. The shot looks a bit slow on the replay but it was a perfectly timed shot from Henrik and only Tim Thomas excellent reaction saved the day. Thomas must have seen where Sedin was beforehand because he did not do a Superman plunge like he usually does but did a nicely controlled slide, his upper body still facing the shooter and his glove hand ready to grab. The rest of the saves better be good to beat that!

7 - Luongo vs Moller
The quickest glove in the league! Frolov's nice little skate towards the back of the net makes the Canucks D fall asleep and a perfect crisp pass down the middle ends right on Moller's tape and he taps it nicely upwards... but Luongo made a nice lateral movement and his reflexes took over, sending his glove hand up to grab that puck.

6 - Nabokov vs Dupuis
Like the announcer said, this is the exact same shot Dupuis scored on in OT a couple weeks ago. The dude has a very powerful shot and seems to have found a sweet spot in that area up from the face-off circle as the puck just flies for the top corner. Nabokov is however showing why he is among the elite by stepping up, cutting off the angle and letting his glove do the talking. You can see Dupuis's OT goal here.

5 - Thomas vs Hemsky
The play is developing differently but Thomas makes a very similar save to #8 by sliding over in a control manner and keeping his glove up to block the whole net. It warms my heart to see a career journeyman finally get his chance in the NHL in his mid 30s and succeed so nicely... especially doing it with good technique and unbridled energy like Thomas is.

4 - Turco vs the Bruins
Turco has been awful overall this year and this save does show how unfocused he can be. Instead of having his stick flush against the ice, he is flat on his butt hoping the puck will hit him, scrambling about with his limbs flairing, throwing himself in the direction of the puck and somehow deflecting it softly to a spot where he can smother it.

3 - Olesz vs the Thrashers
This is why I disaprove of goalies stepping out of the crease when there are any chances for the play to switch sides. Vokoun is so far in front of the crease that his lateral movement takes him out of the play and the net is now completely empty. Look at that overhead shot! There are 3 Panthers in the shot, none of them the goalie. And somehow the winger (yes the winger!) Olesz ends up in the net, sees the puck bounce off Bouwmeester's behind and bats the puck away right on the red line! Best non-goalie save so far this year!

2 - Kiprusoff vs Stoll
Never make the first move! Kiprusoff got nervous and went down in his butterfly as soon as Stoll grabbed the puck, therefore putting him in a bad position as Stoll skated away to find a better angle... but he stopped short himself and went for an average shot that Kiprusoff was able to stop with his quick glove hand.

1 - Turco vs Yelle
Now this is a save! Turco still was scrambling, down early and forced to throw himself around but he was in the right place at the right time to stop that top corner shot. A better scorer might have waited for Turco's superman to fall flat on his face then shoot over an empty net... When you have a goalie scrambling, you better milk it for all its worth and let him get himself out of the play.

Very nice to see a bunch of glove saves this week! especially after the last couple weeks being almost only pad saves.

Saves of the week 10/27 - too much details

10 - Conklin vs his own guys
The save is just blah... especially since it wasn't even a shot but a deflection on the Detroit guy's skate. But seeing Lidstrom mess up that bad in his own zone is an historic event. He looked like a nervous rookie unable to get a pass then flairing his stick around trying to get it back.

9 - Halak vs Florida
The save was a good example of the importance of positioning and not overcommitting to a shooter: you need to let them make the first move and let your reflex take over. Look at the end of the vid too as they show the skaters around the net. This started as a 2-on-1 and the play developed very quickly yet all 5 Canadiens players are right there around the net. That is speed and defensive responsability! Nobody is floating on the backcheck on that team!

8 - Luongo vs Picard
No replay?? freakin angle from mid ice?? Might have been a nice pad save... Might have been another crappy broken play bumping against the dman's skate. I wouldn't know, I forgot my binoculors

7 - Anderson vs McDonald
Now we're talking! 5-on-3 power play with the point men in the faceoff circles, a deflecting shot and good old Andy McDonald keeping his eyes on the bouncing puck and slamming it in... but journeyman Anderson was also following the puck and stretched out the leg.

6 - Turco vs the Islanders
Another 5-on-3 power play ending up with a wiiiiiiiiiide open net for Doug Weight but Turco throws himself across the crease and barely grazes the shot, sending it against the post.

5 - Miller vs Krecji
Lucky first save through heavy traffic but quick reflexes and an even quicker glove allow Miller to save the day. This is what differentiates average from outstanding players: Miller isn't getting flustered by that first shot, he's not flailing around or looking all over, he is focused, scans for the puck, slides over and gloves a hard top corner shot. GM Regier made the right call in choosing Miller instead of Biron.

4 - Ellis vs Boyd
Lazy work by the NHL Video guys this week. Another play without replay or closeup. Still an awesome stop though. Aren't stick saves like that becoming more prevalent nowadays? Seems to me we hardly ever saw saves like that some years ago. Blocker saves yes but I think goalies have learnt to use their wood much better. Held strongly, it will basically stop any ice level shot. That is better probabilities than just flopping and flairing around hoping to have the puck hit you (except for Hasek who lived according to different rules).

3 - Miller vs Sturm
Exactly what I was talking about! Hold that paddle hard on the ice and nothing is going through! the shooter is gonna have to lift it and that is not easy to do, especially with a bouncy puck, the crowd on their feet and dmen all over you. I would say that Miller has the best hands in the league but I still think that Luongo has a quicker glove hand... but I will definitely say Miller has the best stick hand.

2 - Leclaire vs Bernier
Canucks power play tic-tac-toe play which could not be done better. However, Leclaire shows his quick legs here by stretching out to stop a great shot from Bernier. There has been a strong push in recent years to have goalies be more agressive and play up high in the crease to cut angles but offensive setups have evolved and players are getting parked on the side of the net, way off the play and traffic just for that purpose. If you have a goalie with quick reflexes, there is no need to do that: just park the masked man deep in his crease and let him react to what happens.

1 - Anderson vs Vermette
A back-up goalie twice in the weekly top ten?! What next, Aaron Voros in the top ten scorers?? Anyways, I don't think Anderson saw the puck slip through. He saw Vermette lunge and followed through, his big glove right there to prevent a sure goal. Sometimes in those pile-ups in front of the net, goalies lose their cools, panic because they can't see the puck and and get out of position trying to find the puck. Just chill out dude, stay in position and watch the players then: they will tell you where the puck is!


... Quiet week for goalies

Saves of the week 10/20 - too much details

Goaltending is what makes or breaks a team in the NHL and sometimes, one big save is all you need to turn around a game.

Here is an analysis of the top ten saves of the week and what makes them great:

10 - Luongo vs the Blackhawks
a 4 on 2 that ends up with an average shot stopped by Luongo's blocker arm... The puck however trickles down and Luongo pounces on it before any Hawk can push it in. An exciting play but not a spectacular save... just a nice show of a goalie not giving up after the 1st save.

9 - Lehtonen vs Gaborik
First, notice Brent Burns' speed as he blows by the defense and them makes a perfect pass to the front of the net. Gaborik then makes a great move against the grain but Lehtonen shows us what great positioning will do. Even though momentum is carrying him towards the outside post, he keeps his stance open, his crouch low to cover the 5 hole and his glove hand set and ready to grab. There simply was no net open for Gaborik! Lehtonen was covering it all.

8 - Thomas vs Plekanec
Perfect setup for the Habs with a slow unaware Boston defense: Plekanec is on the outside post while all 4 Boston defenders are on the other side watching the puck holder. Perfect pass across the ice but nothing to do. Tim Thomas uses his reflexes and throws himself across the crease, getting there before the puck arrives and even a perfectly timed one-timer can't beat that.

7 - Toskala vs Kariya
A good comparaison with the previous play. While Plekanec was against the post, Kariya is set up right in front of the goal so his redirect/one-timer goes to the middle of the net and not against the post. Great reflexes from Toskala who pounces and let his big body make a wonderful save.

6 - Bryzgalov vs Foligno
The best waiver pick-up in years shows his great athleticism by sticking out the leg and cutting off the Senator forward from dropping the puck in.

5 - Osgood on Hansen
Positioning helps but that won't save you in the NHL without quick hands. Osgood makes a very good 1st save through traffic but stays in position, follows the puck and then stretches back, his glove high to catch a puck going straight in. You cannot ask more from your goaltending.

4 - Joseph vs Malkin
The old man can still do the split! It is humanly impossible to stretch your leg more than that... and even then, Cujo needed the help of the post to stop that puck. Another very interesting thing with this vid is Malkin. Look at him during that play; not only his first shot which was nicely aimed at the post and not just slapped towards the net but look at his stick as he tries to get the rebound: he tilts it so that it would go high over the sprawling goalie. That is a premier talent: even with all that chaos and sticks flying around, he still has the presence of mind to prepare and aim his shots.

3 - Turco vs McDonald
Turco does what he does best: moves quicker than light and shuts down all angles. That was perfect technique deployed with such quickness. Turco cannot cheat for the pass on this 2-on-1 as his defenseman stays in the middle, not cutting the angle or blocking the lane. A perfect saucer pass across the crease over the sprawling dman lands right on McDonald's stick but Turco made a perfect lateral move, pad outstretched and glove right above.

2 - Conklin vs Sutter
What can you say about that if you are the Hurricanes?? Even the goal judge got fooled! Perfect pass, perfect positioning for the one-timer in front of the net but an outstretched pad prevents a rookie from getting his first ever goal. Slapping in a perfect pass in front of an empty net is not enough kid! You need more than that to score in this league.

1- Nittymaki vs Cheechoo
Take all the superlatives and compliments in the previous 9 notes and add a few more. 3mins to go in the 3rd, 4-4 tie with Marleau & Cheechoo baring down on you. Incredible lateral move post to post (with the dman slamming into his right pad might I add) but then he reaches behind his back to glove that puck. Sad this kid cannot develop some consistency because he has the physical tools to be a great goaltender.