1. Goalies Are The Game
Goaltenders are arguably the most important player on the ice because they are responsible for keeping the opposing team from scoring. The goalie controls his team's net and, while he gets some help from his defensemen, the number of goals he stops determines the outcome of the game. Being a hockey goalie means you have to be fast, smart and flexible; because of the high stress level that comes with the position, goalies are often thought to be odd or overly superstitious. But if you were in the net all by yourself, you'd get a little paranoid, too.
2. Know The Greats
Every hockey fan has a goalie that, in their opinion, is the best to ever play the game. For some, it's the legendary Maurice Richard, who played more games and earned more wins for the Montreal Canadians than any other goaltender in history. Others argue that more recent phenomenon Patrick Roy is the greatest. But whether it's Gump Worsley or Tony Esposito, all of the legendary goaltenders have contributed great things to hockey. Aspiring goalies can learn a lot by studying their predecessors.
3. Prepare For Padding
Goalies have pucks and players flying at them from all directions so they wear a lot more padding to keep them safe. On average goaltenders wear at least ten more pounds of padding than offensive players. This padding includes the goalie glove called "the catcher," the extra wide leg pads called "blockers" and heavier, thicker padding all over. Hockey goalies have to do more strength training to have the stamina to maneuver all this extra weight quickly for three periods of play.
4. Fast and Flexible
Flexibility is an important trait for being a fast and efficient goalie. While goalies only have to maneuver in about ten feet of space in front of the net, he has to move lightning fast and have perfect hand-eye coordination to stop pucks. Goalies have to do lots of extra stretching exercises to warm up all of their muscles, particularly their leg and groin muscles, to stay flexible and ready to go throughout the game.
5. Save The Day
Goalies use a variety of saves to stop pucks from going in the net. The most recognizable goalie move is called, "the butterfly." The goalie drops down on her knees and extends her blocker pads out to the side while raising both her glove and stick at the same time. This makes the goalie resemble a butterfly with outstretched wings and is especially effective in deflecting the puck. Goalies can use just about any part of their body or equipment to stop pucks, including flopping down on the ice on top of the puck to stop play.
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