Here are some things that came into my mind last weekend after my first preseason game this year.
Seems that the same mistakes repeat themselves every year and seems like many goalies go through the same.
Patience and timing...
I have noticed that when the season progress I tend to become more patient and my timing gets better.
At the beginning of season I can not read the puck as well as I would like to and that creates hesitation.
I noticed that once in a while I was committing too early or too late.
It definitely helps if you have an opportunity to skate at least once in a week during summer.
Now that I have moved to Helsinki I can skate year around with good players.
That is going to help a lot next year.
Puck and game reading...
I kind of mentioned this above.
If you haven't got much shots during summer and played at all you just can not read the game or the shots that well.
I really hope this was the last summer that I wasn't able to skate because it is really frustrating when you know what you can do but you have to wait it to come back.
Control...
This is what I see every goalie to do, especially younger ones.
At the begging of season they tend to scramble more than later on.
I noticed that I did a paddle down or two pad stack more than 10 times in that game last weekend.
Normally I use paddle down very rarely and two pad stack maybe once in a game or not at all.
How to fix those things...
Keep it simple...
Positioning is most important.
Think about your positioning and try to read the shot and to stay patient.
Keep your save selection simple.
Butterfly and butterfly slides are big words.
Also...
Try not to worry about the end result too much.
If you haven't played in a summer league now it is time to get your game back to where it was in the spring.
When you try to be patience once in a while you might get scored through five hole on close range shots and your might scramble once in a while.
Don't let that bother you.
Purpose of a practice games and game situations at practices is to improve.
When the season starts that's when you let your instincts to carry in the games but now you need to pay attention on positioning, reading, patience and technique.
If you do that now, during the season you will make less mistakes.
Seems that the same mistakes repeat themselves every year and seems like many goalies go through the same.
Patience and timing...
I have noticed that when the season progress I tend to become more patient and my timing gets better.
At the beginning of season I can not read the puck as well as I would like to and that creates hesitation.
I noticed that once in a while I was committing too early or too late.
It definitely helps if you have an opportunity to skate at least once in a week during summer.
Now that I have moved to Helsinki I can skate year around with good players.
That is going to help a lot next year.
Puck and game reading...
I kind of mentioned this above.
If you haven't got much shots during summer and played at all you just can not read the game or the shots that well.
I really hope this was the last summer that I wasn't able to skate because it is really frustrating when you know what you can do but you have to wait it to come back.
Control...
This is what I see every goalie to do, especially younger ones.
At the begging of season they tend to scramble more than later on.
I noticed that I did a paddle down or two pad stack more than 10 times in that game last weekend.
Normally I use paddle down very rarely and two pad stack maybe once in a game or not at all.
How to fix those things...
Keep it simple...
Positioning is most important.
Think about your positioning and try to read the shot and to stay patient.
Keep your save selection simple.
Butterfly and butterfly slides are big words.
Also...
Try not to worry about the end result too much.
If you haven't played in a summer league now it is time to get your game back to where it was in the spring.
When you try to be patience once in a while you might get scored through five hole on close range shots and your might scramble once in a while.
Don't let that bother you.
Purpose of a practice games and game situations at practices is to improve.
When the season starts that's when you let your instincts to carry in the games but now you need to pay attention on positioning, reading, patience and technique.
If you do that now, during the season you will make less mistakes.
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