Apr 2, 2015
Post 2 Post: Reading The Rush
I was watching Carey Price recently, and was obviously impressed with so much about his game; my friend asked me how he makes it looks so easy. There are so many factors that go into his dominance, but one aspect that gets overlooked is reading plays.
I was watching Carey Price recently, and was obviously impressed with so much about his game; my friend asked me how he makes it looks so easy.
There are so many factors that go into his dominance, but one aspect that gets overlooked is reading plays.
The best goalies in the league are great at knowing what is coming next, watching a play develop off the rush, knowing the options and adjusting to them as they unfold.
The anticipation factor is high in elite goalies, they are able to get ahead of the play and control their movement to the point where they are in place before the puck arrives.
Some goalies don't have the capacity to read as well and are forced to react, sometimes late that may not cost them a goal on the play, but instead a bad rebound or quality chance against.
I have been fortunate enough to play with guys who had amazing on ice awareness, to know how plays were going to unfold in front of them, so they could not only weigh the odds, but give themselves an opportunity to make the save.
Miikka Kiprusoff was unreal at knowing what was coming, I would often talk to him about plays and he not only knew how he made saves, but what potential options there were available to the shooters on the play.
It was interesting to see him navigate plays and punch pucks past oncoming rushes, to the untrained eye, I would hear people saying, "wow, Miikka was giving out some big rebounds tonight."
I would talk to him about it, and we would look at the tape and he would say things like, "I punched that puck past the two fore checkers to get it to the winger, so we could go the other way on the rush."
Things like this were what separated him as an elite goalie and these are the traits I see in Price's game this year, as well as goalies like Rinne, Quick, and other elite goalies, who have a feel for the game within the game.
Most goalies in the league are just worried about making the first save, others who are at another level like Carey Price, are not only worrying about the save, but what comes next.
So the next time you watch Price and you see a play that doesn't look the norm, there is a chance it is a play that he has already gotten ahead of by reading the rush options coming his way.
This is a small thing I have picked up on when it comes to Price's dominance this year outside of the obvious complete package of skills he possesses.