Regarding the last point, if a goalie looks straight ahead and can’t see his hands peripherally, they’re too close to the body. When a puck is shot high, the goalie wants to see the puck all the way into his glove or body, and this is better accomplished when he has his gloves in sight from the start.

There are at least two other variations of the basic stance. When a puck is so close that the goalie realistically can’t react to a shot, the pads come together tightly and the catch arm drops alongside the pad, glove open and tight to the pad. In effect, the goalie is building a solid wall to defend against a shot. This stance is also employed against poor angles, such as when a player walks out of the corner along the goal line.

Another stance variation comes just before a shot, when goalies who prefer to drop into a butterfly (figure 10.2) allow their skates to shift wider than shoulder width. This facilitates the butterfly drop but can also be dangerous if the opposing player doesn’t shoot. If that player passes the puck or moves with it, the goalie, who has spread out too much, will have difficulty regrouping and moving his body, particularly if he must move laterally.

FIGURE 10.1 The basic stance from (a) the front and (b) the side. FIGURE 10.2 Butterfly position from (a) the front and (b) the back.

RECOVERY TO STANCE

All goalies are taken out of position during a game, and the ability to recover to their feet back to a proper stance is critical. A goaltender who is out of position should first locate the puck, even before getting up, and then position the stick. A shot may come the goalie’s way before he fully recovers, so getting the stick in place to make a save is vital. At this point, the goalie can get up, or recover, behind the stick.

Some young goalies find it helpful to make getting to their knees a preliminary goal. This halfway station makes the chore of recovering less daunting. When recovering from the knees, the goalie must keep his stick on the ice and get up behind his stick. Younger goalies will get up one leg at a time. Eventually, they will learn to hop up with both legs at once.

When recovering from the stomach, the goalie will slide to his knees and then get up the same way as when recovering from the knees. Recovering from the back causes huge problems for younger goalies, who often spin around in a 180-degree turn, taking their eyes off the puck. Goalies should never turn their back to the puck in recovering (to their knees or to their feet). Goalies should push down on the catch glove as they raise their heads. This allows them to locate the puck before getting to their knees and placing the stick on the ice. They then recover behind the stick.

When a goalie is on his side, he should bend his bottom leg at the knee and bring the top leg over. Again, the goalie gets to his knees before completing the recovery.