All Goalie Notes Videos filmed and edited by Amy Blackburn
The basic idea behind making a save is to try to get as much behind the puck as humanly possible. Ideally, you would like to make every save with your chest as there are no holes in your chest for the puck to slip through. Obviously, this isn't possible for most shots but the idea to get your chest moving in the direction of the shot holds water for every shot.
One of the reasons I love goaltending is how well-thought-out every movement is. Everything we do is done to maximize the efficiency of stopping the puck. Every movement is done to make your life before, during, and after the shot easier. Simply by moving your body into the shot, you can accomplish the following:
1. Get more of your body in front of the puck
2. Reduce how far you need to move in order to make the save
3. Move faster into the shot
4. Increases your chance at controlling the rebound to eliminate second scoring opportunities.
Let's address each one, point by point.
1. Get more of your body in front of the puck
If you simply reach out with your gloves or kick out with your pads, you are only getting your glove or pad in front of the puck. If you move your body into the shot, you can get your hips, shoulders, pads, and possibly chest behind the shot, creating less holes for the puck to go through.
2. Reduce how far you need to move in order to make the save
Imagine you are standing in the net and the shot goes into the corner a distance X away from your glove. If you simply reach out with your glove, you have to move your glove a distance of X in order to get in front of the shot. If you move your body toward the puck, let's say a distance of X/2, than you only need to move your glove a distance X/2 in order to make the save. You move your glove and body at the same time, meaning you are only moving a distance of X/2 in order to make the save.
3, Move Faster into the shot
If the same situation as #2 exists, you are moving your glove and body at the same time and a shorter distance. If you can move your glove a speed of V and your body at the same speed, than if you move your body and your glove at the same time, you are moving toward the puck at a speed of 2V which is faster than if you only moved your glove at a speed of V toward the puck.
4. Increase your chance at controlling the rebound to eliminate second scoring opportunities
Not nerdy enough for you yet? Let's hit the law of conservation of momentum (surprisingly present when it comes to Goaltending Thory). If the puck is traveling at you and you kick your pad straight out, the puck is going to hit your pad and direct straight back out in front, increasing the chance of a second scoring opportunity. However, if you move your body laterally toward the shot, the small puck is going to come into contact with your large body moving laterally, the law of conservation of momentum would show the puck would be directed laterally toward the corner and out of harms way.