Starting in Goal as an Adult

[IPv6Freely 2084]

I hear you. 6 goals against when you're getting shelled is one thing, 6 goals against when they only managed to get 6 shots is another. It sucks. Hang in there.

As for stick time, honestly I'd expect it to be totally dead based on your description. Regardless get out there and work on some movement drills. Don't even take shots until near the end.

[badger_14 601]

I would wager they had twenty or twenty-five shots on me, but 5 or 6 out of 20-25 is pretty awful. I would like to get to a point where like ... if I was in a D league, I could win maybe half the games. This seems like a not-unreasonable standard. I have been very sick the past two weeks, but I don't want to make excuses for anything.

You might be surprised how many shift workers hit up lunchtime hockey. There's a skate Tu/Th/F run by a neighboring town's rink, and it's like - 12 to a bench, not counting the guys on the ice. If people know about it - and the rink is quite busy with school and youth hockey and adult leagues, so if it's posted, people certainly know about it - it could be fairly crowded. $10/skater is a pretty typical price for an hour. They're charging goalies $5 which is very unusual (90% of the time goalies are free at any skate).

What I will probably do at some point is schedule another lesson with the folks down the street, get an objective eye on things, and go from there.

[Flop_N_Pray 38]

I would wager they had twenty or twenty-five shots on me, but 5 or 6 out of 20-25 is pretty awful. I would like to get to a point where like ... if I was in a D league, I could win maybe half the games. This seems like a not-unreasonable standard. I have been very sick the past two weeks, but I don't want to make excuses for anything.

You might be surprised how many shift workers hit up lunchtime hockey. There's a skate Tu/Th/F run by a neighboring town's rink, and it's like - 12 to a bench, not counting the guys on the ice. If people know about it - and the rink is quite busy with school and youth hockey and adult leagues, so if it's posted, people certainly know about it - it could be fairly crowded. $10/skater is a pretty typical price for an hour. They're charging goalies $5 which is very unusual (90% of the time goalies are free at any skate).

What I will probably do at some point is schedule another lesson with the folks down the street, get an objective eye on things, and go from there.

If you want an objective eye, 5 goals on 25 shots is still an 80% save percentage. By comparison, the top 50 single season save percentages in the NHL ranges from .94 to .926. Back in the day, aka before they started tracking that stat, a great season was probably in the high .800 range.

An even better metric is adjusted save percentage, which weights saves by shot location and only rates 5 v 5 play. Soft goals hurt the stat much worse than a slick one timer in the slot, for example. For starting goalies this season, from what I've seen, that ranges from about .91 to .94. On 25 shots .900 would still mean 2.5 goals a game! You're halfway to the NHL!

What I'm trying to say is, if you gave up a few during scrambles or nice one-timers, you are playing even better that your stats indicate. If you gave up 5-6 on slow tricklers from the point, you're playing worse. Likewise if you have a typical drop-in session full of 2-on-1 or 2-on-0 v. guys actually playing defense. The raw stat means nothing. If I had to estimate, from what I see in beer league around here, .800 will handily win a lot of beer league games. D level is often 10-15 total goals a game. You're not in the NHL, don't hold yourself to that standard. Go to a local beer league game and watch how many quality chances they face, and how many goals they give up (around here the answer to that is "not many, and quite a few").

Edited January 24, 2016 by Flop_N_Pray

[badger_14 601]

My Saturday group plays on a small ice surface - I don't know the exact dimensions, I think it's 130x60 - so there are never really any "slow, trickling" shots from the point. There's just not enough space. It is also why I usually face a lot of shots (more than 20-25) - 4v4 on the small ice is much faster, much more puck movement generally than 5x5 on regulation ice. (unless I am playing against Raytheon, or a similarly skilled group). Many of the goals are simply me not being fast enough to follow the puck as player A passes it to B to C and C shoots - not tracking the puck, per se, but actually getting to it, because it's like playing in a pinball machine some days.

[Axxion89 32]

If you want an objective eye, 5 goals on 25 shots is still an 80% save percentage. By comparison, the top 50 single season save percentages in the NHL ranges from .94 to .926. Back in the day, aka before they started tracking that stat, a great season was probably in the high .800 range.

An even better metric is adjusted save percentage, which weights saves by shot location and only rates 5 v 5 play. Soft goals hurt the stat much worse than a slick one timer in the slot, for example. For starting goalies this season, from what I've seen, that ranges from about .91 to .94. On 25 shots .900 would still mean 2.5 goals a game! You're halfway to the NHL!

What I'm trying to say is, if you gave up a few during scrambles or nice one-timers, you are playing even better that your stats indicate. If you gave up 5-6 on slow tricklers from the point, you're playing worse. Likewise if you have a typical drop-in session full of 2-on-1 or 2-on-0 v. guys actually playing defense. The raw stat means nothing. If I had to estimate, from what I see in beer league around here, .800 will handily win a lot of beer league games. D level is often 10-15 total goals a game. You're not in the NHL, don't hold yourself to that standard. Go to a local beer league game and watch how many quality chances they face, and how many goals they give up (around here the answer to that is "not many, and quite a few").

This needs to be emphasized, especially in pickups. A lot of you guys are beating yourselves up for letting in a lot goals in pickup skates but that's going to happen a lot because it's pickup. Letting in 20 on 60 shots goals when 75% of them are Breakaways and 2 on 1 passing drills is a lot better than 5 goals on 15 shots when most of them are slow shots from benders where the puck doesn't leave the ice. Your main goal in the pickup is to get better and focus on fundamentals so don't worry about the goals you are letting in because unless your pickup skate is with so,e really bad players, you are more than likely going have double digit goals scored on you

Also if you are short for time in war ups before a game, stretch in the locker room. You will get a better stretch without the gear on and use the time on ice practice some movements or face shots

[bunnyman666 445]

Daytime skates are a mixed bag- some are full, some are not. But it is a guarantee that when word gets around that a goalie is there, it will fill up.

As far as beating yourself up over your last game, badger_14: Don't. Have fun. Don't take it too seriously. Are you going to get fired and become homeless after letting in 6 goals? I think not.

[IPv6Freely 2084]

We have a Monday at 11am skate here that actually HAS A COACH to do drills with. Usually 5-6 on the ice total. I really wish I was in town more often so I could go to one of those.

Daytime public skating at another rink has at most 3-4 on the ice, two of which are a figure skating pair that practice every day.

[Flop_N_Pray 38]

Today's drop-in report:

In short, I had to follow my own advice about save percentage. We had four goalies rotating on ten minute shifts, which is the perfect amount of time to just get cold before going back in. The other goalie who is a regular at this game let in 6 on his first 7 shots. I fared slightly better. Out of the entire session, there were maybe 3 I would really like to have back. Now that I've played a few times with this group, I notice they aren't taking many straight shots on me anymore; they're really working to cycle the puck, which I take as a compliment (by comparison, they shoot all the time from everywhere on the other guy, who lets in a lot of soft goals). My defense hustled hard but were simply outclassed by the other team today. I've improved my butterfly slides but was having a hard time tracking the one-timer as the pass was usually coming from deep in the corner or behind the net. I also had a harder time sliding than usual - the other goalie is quite a bit heavier than me and really gouges up the crease. He doesn't clean up any of the snow, either. It was hard to skate on, let alone slide on.

Overall I thought my angles were solid and that I made 98% of the saves I could reasonably be expected to make. My breakaway play has improved dramatically and I stuffed a few more than usual today. I am starting to feel much more relaxed in the crease and I am not getting exhausted by scrambles anymore. I'm not losing sleep about giving up easy tap-in one timers or a tremendous point-to-point clapper that went top corner. What I am irritated by is my sudden inability to recover from awkward positions. They definitely had some easy chances they didn't take due to me being sprawled out. Since I flop so much, I think I'll start specifically working on that.

A guy on my team also tackled an opposing player after he crosschecked him in the slot and then started hacking at me while I was covering the puck, so that was exciting.

Edited January 24, 2016 by Flop_N_Pray

[beedee 224]

After no game last weekend we were back in action on Saturday night. We won 12-1, I felt bad for the other goalie, as he had zero support. It looked like they only had 4 subs too, and half of their team was older fellas. On top of that, their goalie didn't look that experienced. I could tell after we were up 7-1 in the 2nd period he was over it. I know that feeling, it totally sucks. Their goal on me game from the high slot in the middle of the 2nd. I was screened by two of our guys and one of theirs. I was looking to my right around the screen and the shot came through to the left of the screen, d'oh! Oh yeah, I also stuffed a penalty shot as well, my buddy took video of it, (it is on Facebook, so not sure if it is viewable if we aren't connected on Facebook).

Link for video:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BA6S5GHOoTAmVW-6jE49T3oFV1In0pDpwVBPCs0/?taken-by=bd.30

Edited January 25, 2016 by beedee

[badger_14 601]

Stick time down the street was pretty quiet. Me, a dad putting his son a grueling-looking practice, a kid getting a private lesson with one of the coaches, and later two kids and their dad. I asked the kid and the coach if they would like a goalie to shoot on, they said yes, so that was a nice 45 minutes or so. I had plenty of time to stretch and sprawl and work on movement without game pressure, the kid seemed to enjoy getting a goalie instead of just an open net, worked out for both of us.

[GreatestAmericanBeardo 258]

After no game last weekend we were back in action on Saturday night. We won 12-1, I felt bad for the other goalie, as he had zero support. It looked like they only had 4 subs too, and half of their team was older fellas. On top of that, their goalie didn't look that experienced. I could tell after we were up 7-1 in the 2nd period he was over it. I know that feeling, it totally sucks. Their goal on me game from the high slot in the middle of the 2nd. I was screened by two of our guys and one of theirs. I was looking to my right around the screen and the shot came through to the left of the screen, d'oh! Oh yeah, I also stuffed a penalty shot as well, my buddy took video of it, (it is on Facebook, so not sure if it is viewable if we aren't connected on Facebook).

Link for video:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BA6S5GHOoTAmVW-6jE49T3oFV1In0pDpwVBPCs0/?taken-by=bd.30

you need to get a white shell and you can be a ghost in goal. i couldn't even SEE you in goal at the start.

[stitchy 1]

Hey guys, been reading for a while and I like the comraderie in here. I've been playing roller goalie since maybe '98 or '99 with Reactor 3s as my first pads. Then got Nike/Bauer Vapor XX around '05 or '06 and immediately appreciated the "landing gear" as the Reactors had barely any. I play primarily roller and don't have much of a butterfly (tight knees and hips), but have recently been going to pick ups and stick times at my local ice rink. I figure to sub for one of my friends' teams now and then. My XX pads are around 12-13" (!) wide - I've never really given thought to how cumbersome the pads were, just thought "that's just how it is" until now. All the 11" models look nice and slim (and light!). I've read on another bb about the switch from 12" to 11" and most say go for it, it doesn't make any difference, etc. but I'd like to hear some of your experiences. Should I make the switch or do with what I have? TIA!

[bunnyman666 445]

I switched from the old 12" pads and it wasn't a big deal. Of course on my 12" pads, they weren't mobile until I chopped 6" off of the thigh rise. That being said, they became a LOT more mobile. But a pure butterfly pad like a Vaughn V5 is generally more mobile than my Vortek pads that were neither pure butterfly or stand up. I play mostly stand up with some butterfly saves thrown in.

I think going from a Nike/Bauer Vapor to a pad made in the last three years would be a huge difference. Improvements in foams and such have thinned pads down a fair bit. It is a totally different feel these days from the pads of yesteryear.

Keep in mind that I have been only playing goal on ice for nearly a year. Most of us here have played goal fewer than five years.

[IPv6Freely 2084]

Decent enough game on Sunday. We won 11-4 (though the official score sheet says 10-4... they do that sometimes, stop recording goals over 10).

With the exception of one stupid play trying to poke a puck away that had gone up in the air and getting caught (and luckily not paying for it), the play was pretty good. First and second periods weren't especially eventful but they turned it on in the 3rd and I got pretty busy. I'm fairly happy overall with my play.

The second goal I should have had though, no excuse for a puck to go through me like that.

[bunnyman666 445]

Drop in report:

3-on-3, one sub, two goalies. Yes, my "team" tried to switch goalies, but they had one skater who made up for my lack of goal tending acumen. He was a bender, but a good bloke.

But I ended up making some crazy saves. I am a scrambler, though if I could learn angles, I could be better. I made the improbable saves, but was scored on with some of the simplest goals. I think I am going to take an inch from my thigh rise, as I can't close the 5 hole when down. But my stick was good, even cutting off a few passes.

Incrementally, I am improving. But I have a long, long way to go before I am mediocre.

[IPv6Freely 2084]

I'm not sure I'd be up doing doing 3-on-3. Not for any longer than maybe 20 minutes at the end of a stick time or something.

Can you explain how making your thigh rise smaller will close your butterfly more?

[bunnyman666 445]

Opti- an .85 spt is NOT BAD!!!! You are doing very well, sir.

I have short thighs.My knee flaps are short, and I have a triangle in my butterfly. My other pads are shorter, but I close that 5 hole. I may just have someone make me new knee flaps that are just a hair bigger before trimming my pads. They would still be NHL legal (like that matters).

I just believe I could squeeze my knees together without that extra stuff. I could be dead wrong here. But I am trying bigger knee flaps first.

[IPv6Freely 2084]

Opti- an .85 spt is NOT BAD!!!! You are doing very well, sir.

I have short thighs.My knee flaps are short, and I have a triangle in my butterfly. My other pads are shorter, but I close that 5 hole. I may just have someone make me new knee flaps that are just a hair bigger before trimming my pads. They would still be NHL legal (like that matters).

I just believe I could squeeze my knees together without that extra stuff. I could be dead wrong here. But I am trying bigger knee flaps first.

It's the GAA that hurts. Then again, the 14-3 loss kind of killed that. It had previously been hovering around 3.00 which I was very happy with. There are enough goals scored in this league that 3 GA will win you most games.

[bunnyman666 445]

Opti- There are not that many games in your season, so yes- a 14 goals against will make it bad. But still- you ain't bad, mate.

[IPv6Freely 2084]

Opti- an .85 spt is NOT BAD!!!! You are doing very well, sir.

I have short thighs.My knee flaps are short, and I have a triangle in my butterfly. My other pads are shorter, but I close that 5 hole. I may just have someone make me new knee flaps that are just a hair bigger before trimming my pads. They would still be NHL legal (like that matters).

I just believe I could squeeze my knees together without that extra stuff. I could be dead wrong here. But I am trying bigger knee flaps first.

What do you mean by 'knee flaps'?

I'm honestly still a bit confused, but I'm probably just misunderstanding or not picturing it right.

[bunnyman666 445]

What do you mean by 'knee flaps'?

I'm honestly still a bit confused, but I'm probably just misunderstanding or not picturing it right.

Landing gear.

[IPv6Freely 2084]

It's so weird seeing pictures of people in a butterfly position with the 5-hole shut and they don't have their knees together at all. I squeeze my thighs together as much as I possibly can and still have a 4-6" gap.

This is pretty much what mine looks like:

Edited January 29, 2016 by OptimusReim

[badger_14 601]

I'm not sure I'd be up doing doing 3-on-3. Not for any longer than maybe 20 minutes at the end of a stick time or something.

I might be biased because 3v3 (or 4v4) is virtually all I play, but it doesn't take much to adapt to it. It's true there aren't as many breaks as in full ice 5v5, but you just get extra good at keeping one eye on the play while downing a swig of water. It's what the long-nozzle water bottles are for, after all - drinking through the cage. You do see a lot of the puck, although the trade-off for playing on small ice is that (for me) when I go to regulation ice I have to adapt to the angles, and more of the shots are from a distance rather than scrambles close in, with more bodies to hit along the way. It's sort of like - well, when you haven't gotten new glasses for a while, or the first time you get glasses and you suddenly see so much more clearly, but also get dazed and lopsided because you aren't used to seeing that way. (of course this analogy only works for the half-blind goalies among us.)

It's exciting, anyway, and I encourage everyone to try it.

[Flop_N_Pray 38]

I might be biased because 3v3 (or 4v4) is virtually all I play, but it doesn't take much to adapt to it. It's true there aren't as many breaks as in full ice 5v5, but you just get extra good at keeping one eye on the play while downing a swig of water. It's what the long-nozzle water bottles are for, after all - drinking through the cage. You do see a lot of the puck, although the trade-off for playing on small ice is that (for me) when I go to regulation ice I have to adapt to the angles, and more of the shots are from a distance rather than scrambles close in, with more bodies to hit along the way. It's sort of like - well, when you haven't gotten new glasses for a while, or the first time you get glasses and you suddenly see so much more clearly, but also get dazed and lopsided because you aren't used to seeing that way. (of course this analogy only works for the half-blind goalies among us.)

It's exciting, anyway, and I encourage everyone to try it.

It's so weird seeing pictures of people in a butterfly position with the 5-hole shut and they don't have their knees together at all. I squeeze my thighs together as much as I possibly can and still have a 4-6" gap.

This is pretty much what mine looks like:

Small ice 3v3 or 4v4 is amazing for learning how to relax in the crease and stay with the puck during scrambles. Honestly, 5v5 hockey feels like slow motion after playing a couple small ice games. The only difference I notice in angles is that you have a lot more time to come above the crease and attack the shooter in a full 5v5 game.

It's less about squeezing the thighs together and more about how much hip rotation you have. My knees are apart and I still close the five hole due to my flexibility. Closed 5-hole = knees together + feet forward + (thigh-rise height, kinda). Honestly, its a trade-off. I have such a wide flare that I rarely get beat to the corner, but my knees are so far apart that unless I have good stick discipline I will let them go right through the 3-4" gap in my 5-hole. I will say from my limited experience you get way less guff from the skaters getting beat to the corner than you do getting beat on a shot right up your midline.

Edited January 29, 2016 by Flop_N_Pray

[bunnyman666 445]

In the end, it is going to take getting a custom pad for me. I am, of course, talking to Dennis Dombrowski and we have come to a few conclusions:

1) my weird body proportions dictate that I need something custom, especially with my short thighs and small boot size

2) few, if any off-the-shelf pads will do for me without significant alteration because of issues mentioned above

3) I can't get the cool, aged horsehyde look that my Factory Mad catch glove has through any other manufacturer, therefore I need custom ;)

I will continue to tinker until I finally get my pennies together for my pads.