The goalie stick is the primary defensive weapon in hockey. If a team wants to be successful --whether it's at the major league, college, minor league, junior, high school or pee-wee level--having a good goalie is a universal must. For the goalie to be effective, he needs equipment that is both comfortable and competent. Goalie sticks differ from skater's sticks in that they have a wider blade and a battle to help in the battle to stop the puck. The blade is also usually curved much as a forward's stick is curved. While an offensive player uses the curve to help him get a shop that will dip and dive and confuse the goalie, the goalie uses a curved blade to help him lift the puck so he can get it out of his team's defensive zone with greater ease. The blade cannot be longer than 15 1/2 inches and it can be no higher than 3 1/2 inches.
What to Look for
The goalie stick first must meet the eye test. A goaltender has to look at the stick and believe that he will be able to perform with it--that if he uses it properly, it will stop shots. Aside from that, the stick must be the right size to coordinate with a player's height. A goalie using a stick that is too short will conform his body in a smaller frame and that may prevent him from getting to pucks that are actually within his reach. A stick that is too big will actually slow a goalie down because he will find that normal movements are no longer natural and that instead of reacting naturally he will have to take the time to think about his movements. Goalie sticks can be made out of wood or composite material. No matter what its origin, a goalie's stick must be strong enough to react to the power of a slap, snap or wrist shot.
Common Pitfalls
First and foremost, a goalie has to look for a stick that fits his frame and one that can handle all of his movements. The speed and power of the game means the goalie must play a reaction game. If he has to think about his movements and whether he can extend his stick to block a shot, then he can't play goal effectively. Therefore, the goalie stick has to be the right length and the right weight, without exception. A young player who wants the same stick that his "favorite" player uses is doing himself a disservice if ease of movement is not taken into consideration. To make sure the goalie stick is the right size, a goalie should stand in his skates and place the toe of the stick on the ground. The top of the stick should reach somewhere between the goalie's chin and nose.
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