tracking behind the net

[Netnewbie]

So i am wondering if there is a rule of thumb/technique for tracking the puck behind the net?  how much to turn, positioning etc.

[coopaloop1234]

Oh man, there's too many variables to have a real rule set. Really depends on the skill level of the guys you're playing, speed of the puck behind the net, your own flexibility/reaction time/skating ability, backdoor presence, your defenses skill, etc. etc.

Is there a specific situation you're looking for advice on?

[Netnewbie]

2 minutes ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Oh man, there's too many variables to have a real rule set. Really depends on the skill level of the guys you're playing, speed of the puck behind the net, your own flexibility/reaction time/skating ability, backdoor presence, your defenses skill, etc. etc.

Is there a specific situation you're looking for advice on?

Really just a little guidance.  new to the position about 3 years now and am having trouble.   have tried hugging the post looking back, rvh looking around the net, standing and twisting.  FYI my defence is non existent.

[dualshowman]

Fully agree with Coop: Too many variables exist for a simple 'if-then' statement. I'm gonna leave out...

1 hour ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Really depends on the skill level of the guys you're playing, speed of the puck behind the net, your own flexibility/reaction time/skating ability, backdoor presence, your defenses skill, etc. etc.

...because it all matters, and it all makes the conversation long and multi-faceted. 

My simple take:

What has mostly worked for me over about 30 years of (learning) goaltending is to place priority on situational awareness rather than puck tracking whenever seeing the puck proves difficult. Of course I wanna get eyes on it ASAP, but it just isn't possible all the time. I find that when the puck and some skaters are behind the net in an area in which it is difficult or nearly impossible to see the puck, the scenario doesn't often require that I'm even looking at the puck. There is no chance that this puck is going directly into the net, so I try to be aware of who is in a position to receive a pass, who's in front of the net, and who's below the goal line, etc. If I get terribly burned by a play that happened below the goal line and some sort of offensive sorcery was not employed, chances are I was over-thinking, moving my head around a whole bunch, and generally overreacting. 

[Mroy31]

One tip I got a long time ago is for situations where the player is basically parked behind the net, or there's a scrum or something where it's not moving quickly, or even at all...try to hug your stick side post and look back over your glove shoulder (angle into the net a bit to make it easier).

The rationale being that either side is equally likely to see the puck come out, so you might as well try to avoid the situation where your stick knob may get caught in the net trying to come across post to post.

It's not a game changing tip, but I remember starting out and having trouble with my stick getting caught on those types of plays, so it helped a bit in those specific scenarios.

[Netnewbie]

took me a minute to process what you ment Mroy31 but i tink i understand.  i will try that and see if i cant be a little more situationaly aware.

[GoalieDad64]

What about the newest craze in ugly goals?  The “lacrosse goal”.  How can goalies be aware of what the forward is doing behind the net, while guarding against the highest probability play, the wrap around or the pass out front?  In the couple of seconds it takes for the forward to get the puck up on his stick and flick it into the open corner, how can the goalie go from his knees along the post to on his feet to cover the top corner?  And what about young kid goalies?  What chance do they have at making the save on a kid who has a good handle on this lacrosse move?

[coopaloop1234]

18 minutes ago, GoalieDad64 said:

What about the newest craze in ugly goals?  The “lacrosse goal”.  How can goalies be aware of what the forward is doing behind the net, while guarding against the highest probability play, the wrap around or the pass out front?  In the couple of seconds it takes for the forward to get the puck up on his stick and flick it into the open corner, how can the goalie go from his knees along the post to on his feet to cover the top corner?  And what about young kid goalies?  What chance do they have at making the save on a kid who has a good handle on this lacrosse move?

Wrap around and pass out front are: 1. FAR more likely to happen, and 2. FAR more likely to score.

Keeping the lacrosse move in the back of your mind is a good thing, but actively defending against that and letting the higher probability plays have a higher chance is not the correct way to go.

[cwarnar]

@Netnewbie Youtube can be valuable resource for that stuff.  As @coopaloop1234 @dualshowman and @Mroy31 have suggested its all about your read and react to what the player is/will be doing.

I use pick up skates to work on these smaller parts of the game because like many of us, I don't get any practice time.  Pick RVH, or post hug and try to exclusively use it and see how it work in the given situations.  Even if you give up a few goals its learning points and a feel for technique. 

[coopaloop1234]

1 minute ago, cwarnar said:

@Netnewbie Youtube can be valuable resource for that stuff.  As @coopaloop1234 @dualshowman and @Mroy31 have suggested its all about your read and react to what the player is/will be doing.

I use pick up skates to work on these smaller parts of the game because like many of us, I don't get any practice time.  Pick RVH, or post hug and try to exclusively use it and see how it work in the given situations.  Even if you give up a few goals its learning points and a feel for technique. 

Yea but then you have to play pick up.

[Chenner29]

3 hours ago, GoalieDad64 said:

What about the newest craze in ugly goals?  The “lacrosse goal”.  How can goalies be aware of what the forward is doing behind the net, while guarding against the highest probability play, the wrap around or the pass out front?  In the couple of seconds it takes for the forward to get the puck up on his stick and flick it into the open corner, how can the goalie go from his knees along the post to on his feet to cover the top corner?  And what about young kid goalies?  What chance do they have at making the save on a kid who has a good handle on this lacrosse move?

IMO the Michigan or lacrosse goal is a direct result of goalies using and abusing the RVH on play around the net. 

Goalie shouldn't be on their knees when the puck is behind the net.

[cwarnar]

1 hour ago, coopaloop1234 said:

Yea but then you have to play pick up.

Touche... But I haven't payed to play hockey in 12+ years

[goalieThreeOne]

What Eli Wilson says:

From RVH, follow over your post-side shoulder while reaching with the leading leg, once the skater hits the cross bar, quickly look over the other shoulder and finish pushing to the opposite post.

What Mitch Korn says:

Stay on your feet, look over your shoulder, keeping the puck centered on your back by shuffling. Change shoulders when the skater hits the cross bar.

Even the experts don't necessarily agree. In the end, it only matter what works for you. I prefer to stay on my feet, but you may prefer staying down.