Goalie Positioning
Drills
Here are some hockey gooalie drills that will help you learn mobility and
positioning in front of the net:
U-drill
Imagine a U or V on the ice in front of the goal, with its bottom
end at the goal posts, and its tips halfway between the goal and the
red faceoff dots. Stand sideways at the left post, glove hand out in
ready position. Skate halfway out to the left red dot, stop, and skate
backwards to the left post. Shuffle sideways across the goal to the
right post. Skate halfway out to the right red dot, stop, and skate
backwards to the right post. Shuffle sideways across the goal to the
left post.
To work two shooters into the drill, place one shooter at each point.
When the goalie comes out to that side, shoot.
W-drill
Imagine a W on the ice in front of the goal, with its bottom points
at the goal posts and its tips halfway between the goal and the red
faceoff dots. Stand sideways at the left post, glove hand out in ready
position. Skate halfway out to the left red dot, stop, and skate backwards
to the left post. Skate up to the point, then backwards to the right
post. Skate halfway out to the right red dot, stop, and skate back to
the right post. Skate up to the point, stop, and skate backwards to
the left post.
To work three shooters into the drill, place a shooter at each point
and one at the top of the slot. When the goalie cones to each point,
shoot.
X-drill
Imagine an X on the ice in front of the goal, with its feet at the
goal posts. Stand sideways at the left post. Skate across to the far
right corner of the square. Stop and skate sideways to the right post.
Skate across to the far left corner of the square. Stop and skate sideways
to the left post.
You can work four shooters into the drill. They pass in the same X-pattern
that the goalie makes, and the goalie follows the puck around. Its
not really a shooting drill; the X-drill exercises shuffling and positioning.
Y-drill
Imagine an upside down Y on the ice on front of the goal, with its
two tips at the goal posts. Start out at the point. Skate backwards
to the crease, then shuffle sideways at an angle to the left post. Skate
up to the point and stop. Skate backwards to the crease, then shuffle
sideways at an angle to the right post. Skate up to the point and stop.
Line up players at the top of the slot. They skate towards the goalie,
then in an arc around the net as the goalie shuffles sideways. Skaters
should alternate going to left and right.
You can extend this drill to work the goalies stacked-pad saves.
Goalies Cross
Imagine a big + sign at any of the faceoff circles. Start at the southern
end of the circle and face north. (Just pick a direction and call it
north.) Push off once or twice and glide forward until you reach the
center. With your left foot, stop your forward motion; then shuffle
sideways to the right edge of the circle. Shuffle back to the center,
then glide forwards again. When you reach the circle, stop yourself
with your right foot; then push off once or twice and glide backwards.
When you reach the center, stop your backwards motion; then shuffle
sideways to the left edge of the circle. Shuffle back to the center,
then glide backwards until you get to the southern edge.
Theres no good way to work players into this drill.
When you do these drills, start out moving slowly and cleanly. Visualize
where the goal post is. You can work for speed once youve gotten
good at knowing where the goal posts are.