Great Lakes Goaltending

No goal post? No problem.

When practicing your sliding RVH post seal, the side boards do a great job of simulating a goal post. The biggest challenge is getting your pad to flare just before your boot break reaches the post. In doing so, we promote a solid post seal. 😀

As your pad makes contact, absorb your momentum, get tall on the post, and seal it with confidence. The small details make all the difference when it comes to eliminating scoring chances. Leave no holes.

Simplicity wins—especially when it comes to habits with our development.
Master the fundamentals. Work your edges with purpose, snap your head to the puck, and keep your hands in a shot-ready position. Consistent attention to the little details builds better habits, and better habits lead to better performance when it matters most.

Keep your shuffle recovery simple and efficient.
Lead with your head to find the target, keep your hands set and ready to lead the movement, then explode with a hard, quick push up and across to recover. Stay balanced, arrive under control, and finish in a strong, shot-ready stance.
The fundamentals done consistently make all the difference. 🥅💪

This is a perfect warm-up drill to work on our skills. Bennett putting in quality work on lateral slides with a directional change and a full recovery back to his starting position.

The focus is on clean, efficient movement. Every push starts with a hard head snap to locate the puck before the body follows. Just as important, keep the hands quiet and set—don't let them swing with your shoulders. Strong head movement, controlled upper body, and balanced positioning lead to faster, more efficient recoveries.

Screens can be one of the toughest situations for a goalie. Stay in a shot-ready stance, keep your feet underneath you, and bob and weave your head like a boxer to fight for every glimpse of the puck. 👀
Avoid getting caught leaning to one side. When your weight shifts too early, you sacrifice balance, reaction time, and the power needed to explode into your next movement. Stay centered, stay patient, and keep your eyes locked on the puck.🥅

T-Push with an emphasis on hand positioning and rebound control.

It sounds simple, but the details make all the difference. Pick up the puck early, snap your head to the shot, and arrive set in a strong, shot-ready stance. From there, slightly lean into the shot, either roll your blocker wrist to direct the rebound into a safe area or absorb the puck cleanly with your body.

Stay patient, stay engaged, and let proper technique create control. The small details practiced every day become the big saves on game day. 💪🥅

Coach Bird putting his puck-handling skills on display. 🏒

A goalie who can confidently play the puck becomes another asset for their team, helping break pressure, start the breakout, and keep the game moving.

That's why every clinic includes dedicated time for puck handling and the edgework that makes it effective. Like every skill in goaltending, confidence comes from repetition. The more you practice it, the more natural it becomes when the game is on the line.