• Shoot in practice like you shoot in games
• It's better to shoot quick than to shoot hard
• Don't pass if you can shoot, a rebound works as well as a pass
• Shoot or deke when arriving at the bottom hashmark
• Big windups make big noises off the glass
• Move your feet when deking across the net to open up the goalie
• Leg pads create rebounds. Gloves, chests, & stomachs deny them
• Shoot early so your teammates can get to the rebound
• Bury the puck, don't be nice about it
• Anticipate where rebounds will come off a goalie's body
• Stick on the ice for tips and rebounds
• Mix your shots up to confuse the goalie
• Familiarize yourself with a goalie's tendencies
• Keep point shots down
• Go to the net for rebounds, but don't crowd the goalie too tight
• Keep your head up so you see where to shoot
• Shoot for space and make the goalie come up with the save

Things to Look For:

STICK SAVES: Is the stick flat on the ice? Does the goalie cushion the puck to prevent rebounds or does the puck always deflect away uncontrolled? Does the puck always get directed to the same place? Does the hand cheat up the stick too early when poking? Does the body back up high stick saves and turn into the save for full extension of the body? Is the goalie poor at freezing loose pucks?

PAD SAVES: Are the rebounds from butterflys always going straight to the slot? When making a Belfour save with the paddle down, is the goalie dropping too early to smother the puck? On stacks, is the goalie attacking into the save or flopping deep in the crease? Can the goalie minimize the 5 hole? Is the goalie patient or is early flopping a problem?

GLOVES: Does the goalie make clean glove saves with no rebounds? Does the goalie protect the corners well or do the hands get pulled away? Does the glove or blocker move directly to the puck or do the hands stay behind the body? Does the goalie turn the head and back shoulder in the direction of the save to get full extension to a puck labeled for a corner?

POSITIONING: Does the goalie understand the shooter's left hand or right hand scoring options? Can the goalie maintain a close gap on dekes across the crease? Does the goalie back in too early? Can the goalie move squarely into each save?

This article was contributed by Fred Quistgard of Quistgard Goalie Training.

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