Goalies seem to pop out of the net with startling regularity, often moving fully behind the net to drop the puck back there before returning to the front. It seems nerve-wracking every time— how can they risk being so far out of position with the offense closing in fast?
Obviously they only do this when they have the puck themselves, but it seems like they could easily be knocked away from it while they’re leaving the net empty and vulnerable.
Please explain why they do this!
In: Other
Usually they’re just stalling so that the other skaters can get in a line change. You generally don’t see that on TV because the camera is focused on the goalie futzing around behind his net, but when he does finally play the puck the skaters will be different. You can generally tell when this is happening because the other team will change as well and he’s just standing there watching with nobody coming in to challenge possession.
If it seems more frantic, he’s coming out to stop the puck from ringing around the back or bouncing off the boards into a much more perilous spot directly in front of him.
It’s pretty difficult to score from behind the net, so unless the goalie severely misplays it and gets his pass intercepted it’s often useful to come out of the net to take possession of the puck instead of letting the offense get it back and set up again.
Latest Answers