Excellent edge control allows goaltenders to make critical quick, short, powerful moves.

These directional changes enable a goalie to make saves when rebounds are created in “Tight Zone” play.

The development of superior edge control naturally takes time and effort. There are different drills and ways to go about developing this component of the modern game. A few basic drills are presented here with what is hopefully a beneficial explanation.

Once the basic biomechanics of a power push, or slide, are understood and some degree of competence is established, the following line drill is commonly used to provide lots of practice to develop muscle memory and leg power.

In this drill the student begins in the down position loading the power leg. The torso is upright for vertical coverage. The stick is properly positioned for five-hole coverage [NB: It is not uncommon to watch goaltenders pushing in tight with the stick in paddle down position. This can be a very effective play. The author however does not teach this drill with such positioning].

The trapping glove is held open and in front of the body. Upon command, the goalie pushes on a repetitive basis from the goal-line, to blue-line and back. It is important that proper form is maintained. If form cannot be maintained then the student may not ready for this drill. Also, the distance covered and speed of movement will naturally differ based on age and ability of the athlete.

Once deemed too easy, another level of difficulty can be added.

To foster even better edge control, along with conditioning and power development, the coach can request the goalie alter direction for one push. The interval can be advanced over time from 4:1 (four pushes forward, to one push in the opposite direction) down to 2:1. When a goalie can maintain impeccable form, speed and control at 2:1 then the drill has served its purpose.

The second video segment demonstrates the drill at a 3:1 ratio:

Another commonly employed drill is “The Pendulum.”

In this drill the goaltender again begins in the down position between two pucks or pylons positioned a short distance apart. The technical considerations discussed above remain the same. Upon command, the goalie begins to rocker back and forth on the inside edges.

The drills can be altered several ways:

1. The coach may choose to increase, or decrease, the distance between pylons to promote quicker transition from one edge to the other.

2. The number of swings can be increased with time (e.g., 10, 20, 30 or 40).

3. Finally, a decision can be made to perform the drill on a timed interval (e.g., 10 seconds, 20, seconds or 30 seconds) basis. This is done with the intent of training a specific exercise energy system.

A similar variant to that noted in the previous drill exists. The coach may ask the athlete to make two short pushes one way and then change direction for two pushes. A mature goaltender will likely not require more than two pushes to manoeuver across the crease so this number should suffice.

This article has briefly discussed the great importance of edge control to “tight zone” play.

With fundamental drills, focus on technique and with time, power will come. Once a sound level of edge control is established, more complex skating and scramble drills with two, three or more shots become part of the developmental process.

The decision was made not to present examples of these drills in the current article.

As always, work beats talent, if talent doesn’t work!

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InGoal Magazine has been touting the folks over at Brian Custom Sports as the “Kings of Custom” in this weekly space for a while now.

It seems our new Art Director, Jon Hodes, wanted to put that to the ultimate test.

Forget the intricate team logos we’ve shown off on pros like Chris Mason and Eddie Lack, or the incredibly detailed graphics on the theme pads like the Two Jacks Movie Tribute and Heineken Beer League pads. For Jon, who will be stopping pucks for the United States at the Maccabiah Games in Israel this summer (the pads are closer to navy blue than they appear in these photos, giving it a red-white-and-blue look), it was more about blending performance preferences, which meant a hybrid G-NETik and SubZero pad. And since he is a graphic designer with big magazines like Men’s Health on the resume, he added a custom look with the old Focus Graphics.

The pads are 34+2 G-NETiks, with the softest option 3-3-3 flex, which includes a double break on the outer roll. But Jon had them made with a flat face instead of the knee rolls that come stock on the G-NETik, and he swapped out the normal square outer roll for the angled outer roll on the SubZero pads. He also has a stuffed, deep boot with an 80-degree taper, a sliding toe bridge, and Brian’s Velcro-based Smart Strap system.

“I’m used to wearing a flat-face pad with an angled outer roll even though I’m a hybrid goalie and not a true butterfly, so I added those features from the SubZero pad,” he said. “It makes for a more streamlined surface. Because I have a narrow butterfly, I went with the softest flex and double break, and it really helps close the 5-hole. I added the deep/stuffed boot because I prefer to have it truly sit on top of my foot and be parallel to the ice. The Smart straps work great – super quick and easy to put on and take off, secure, and still allows for rotation.”

The blocker is a stock G-NETik (graphics notwithstanding), but the glove is a SubZero, with a Pro Palm, Double-T pocket and nylon laces.

“I wore the Thief for years, and the SZ palm, angle, and closure is very similar, with a wide, comfortable catching area.” Jon said. “The real change for me is the new single piece cuff, and the Pro Palm is beefy – I will never get a stinger again.”

Enjoy Jon’s new set up for the Games (we know he is):

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When Henrik Lundqvist lost track of a bouncing puck in Game 1 against Boston, he looked for clues from the players around him to find it in time. (Screen capture from NHL.com video below)

Henrik Lundqvist may have felt the bouncing point shot from defenseman Dougie Hamilton late in the first period of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal against the Boston Bruins on Thursday night, but it quickly became clear that the New York Rangers’ star goaltender had no idea where the puck went after that.

Lundqvist had no idea the puck was lying behind him, with nothing between it, an empty net and a 1-0 deficit.

So how did he find it – and cover it – before a hard driving Milan Lucic could get to it?

As you can see in the video below, Lundqvist relied on the visual clue provided by Lucic himself, looking around to see what others were doing, and using that to help him locate and cover that dangerous loose puck. Which instantly brought to mind the same advice offered by long-time pro Mike McKenna in a recent InGoal Magazine article about dealing with tips and traffic:

“If you cannot see the shot leave the stick, try to read how the players in front of you react,” wrote McKenna, who was signed by his hometown St. Louis Blues and played last season with the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League. “It’s amazing how many saves you can make – especially in power play situations – that are purely educated guesses based on experience. There’s an old adage in hockey: ‘you can’t stop what you can’t see.’ This is true only if there are no clues presented to you. Sometimes you are forced to connect the dots and figure out where the puck is going, even if you can’t see it.”

In Lundqvist’s case, he needed to connect the dots to find out where the puck ended up, and by looking over at the hard-charging Lucic to his left – rather than starting to look behind him first – the Rangers goalie is able to locate it just in time:

Of course, there are other keys to dealing with tips and traffic, and McKenna was kind enough to outline several great tips in the January edition of InGoal Magazine. They included everything from hole-proofing your equipment , to positioning in the crease relative to potential tips, and finding sight lines, including when to look over, and when – and where – to look around traffic.

You can read the entire article, with photos and illustrations, in the January Edition:

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Maria Mountain, M.Sc.

For starters, you deplete some of your readily available energy sources and you cause micro-trauma to your muscle fibres (you can actually see it with an electron microscope if you happen to have one of those handy).

Is this a good thing? Well, to the extreme, no, it is not. But within reason it is a great thing.

Imagine for a second that you get a hole in the roof of your home. Do you leave it like that? Hopefully not. You want to fix it.

Well, that is also exactly what your body wants to do – repair and rebuild the damaged areas.

Just like your roof, you are not likely to repair it “just good enough.” You do not want that area to leak again.

Your body is the same, and this is one of the ways you get bigger and stronger. Your body also learns how to recruit a greater portion of your muscle mass, which has a huge impact on your expression of strength as well.

Let’s go back to the “hole in your roof” scenario. What is one of the first things you would do to fix this problem?

You would head to the local home improvement store for some supplies to rebuild the structure wouldn’t you?

This is exactly what your body tries to do. It needs the building blocks to replenish your energy stores and to repair your muscle. Those building blocks are carbohydrates and protein respectively.

Too many athletes make the mistake of taking a protein shake after their training. You must include carbohydrate in your post workout snack/shake/meal. There should be no such thing as ‘low carb’ for a goaltender after training.

Let me explain why.

Carbohydrates cause an insulin response. Insulin allows the cells to take up macro and micro nutrients. This is why people with diabetes who cannot produce their own insulin get in trouble with too much blood sugar – their cells do not get the signal to take up and store the extra sugar.

So the carbohydrate triggers the release of insulin, which tells the cells to take up and store the excess “blood sugar,” and this replenishes your energy stores. But your construction material to repair the muscle damage (the protein) is also absorbed and allowed to do its thing rebuilding the muscle.

So taking protein without the carbohydrate will not give it such a direct line to the muscles that are in need. The carbohydrate is what helps drive it into the muscle.

Our bodies like to be in a constant state called homeostasis. We do not like changes in our resting levels of blood sugar, energy stores, muscle damage, etc. So the faster the body can get back to homeostasis, the better. If you delay your post-workout shake/snack/meal then chances are your body has already dealt with the mini-crisis caused by training by using a less efficient and less direct path.

This is why the post-workout shake is nice. It is convenient. It is easy to consume. It gets the nutrients into the muscle quickly. You could just as easily have a peanut butter and banana sandwich, but for some chewing down a wad of peanut butter after a gut-busting workout is not entirely appetizing, so go with what suits you the best.

Whatever you use, here is the key: Look for 40 grams of carbohydrate and 20 grams of protein in whatever you decide to eat.

If you do decide to go with a shake, resist the temptation to buy one of the “super kick-ass” shakes that has all kinds of “extras” added in. Just protein and carbohydrate is fine, thank you very much.

Now eat up!

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Zachary Fucale of the Halifax Mooseheads was named the Vaughn Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Week after going 2-1 with a goals-against-average of 2.35 and save percentage of .935 for the final playoff week ending May 12.

Fucale backstopped the Mooseheads to their first President’s Cup title with a five-game series win over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, stopping 100 shots in the final three games. Fucale made 27 saves in a 3-1 win in Game 3, added 39 saves in a 7-4 loss in Game 4, and then finished it off with 34 saves in the finale on home ice to help the Mooseheads to a 5-1 victory.

Fucale, a 17-year-old from Rosemere, QC, is in his second QMJHL season with the Mooseheads and is the top-rated goaltending prospect eligible for the 2013 NHL Draft. The two-time playoff Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week award winner posted a 16-1-0-0 record in the QMJHL playoffs, led all goaltenders with a 2.02 goals-against-average and was second with a playoff save percentage of .918.

Also considered for the award was Mac Carruth of the WHL Champion Portland Winterhawks after going 3-0-1 with a goals-against-average of 1.46 and save percentage of .952. In the OHL, Jake Patterson of the OHL Champion London Knights won three straight, including 30 saves in a 3-2 Game 7 win against the Barrie Colts on Monday.

Past 2012-13 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week – Playoffs:

May 6 – May 12: Zachary Fucale, Halifax Mooseheads

Apr. 29 – May 5: Laurent Brossoit, Edmonton Oil Kings

Apr. 22 – Apr. 28: Simon Lemieux, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

Apr. 15 – Apr. 21: Mac Carruth, Portland Winterhawks

Apr. 8 – Apr. 14: Malcolm Subban, Belleville Bulls

Apr. 1 – Apr. 7: Zachary Fucale, Halifax Mooseheads

Mar. 25 – Mar. 31: Laurent Brossoit, Edmonton Oil Kings (read his advice on playing in the spotlight)

Mar. 18 – Mar. 24: Cam Lanigan, Medicine Hat Tigers

Past 2012-13 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:

Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Matt Mahalak, Plymouth Whalers

Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: François Brassard, Quebec Remparts

Feb. 25 – Mar. 3: Alex Nedeljkovic, Plymouth Whalers (read the InGoal interview here)

Feb. 18 – Feb. 24: Malcolm Subban, Belleville Bulls

Feb. 11 – Feb. 17: Zachary Fucale, Halifax Mooseheads

Feb. 4 – Feb. 10: Brandon Whitney, Victoriaville Tigres

Jan. 28 – Feb. 3: Andrey Makarov, Saskatoon Blades

Jan. 21 – Jan. 27: Alex Dubeau, Moncton Wildcats

Past 2012-13 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week:

Jan. 14 – Jan. 20: Cam Lanigan, Medicine Hat Tigers

Jan. 7 – Jan. 13: Matt Murray, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

Dec. 31 – Jan. 6: Christopher Gibson, Chicoutimi Sagueneens

Dec. 24 – Dec. 30: Austin Lotz, Everett Silvertips

Dec. 10 – Dec. 16: Brett Zarowny, Prince George Cougars

Dec. 3 – Dec. 9: JP Anderson, Sarnia Sting

Nov. 26 – Dec. 2: Kevin Bailie, London Knights

Nov. 19 – Nov. 25: Patrik Bartosak, Red Deer Rebels

Nov. 12 – Nov. 18: Mackenzie Skapski, Kootenay Ice

Nov. 5 – Nov. 11 : Mac Carruth, Portland Winterhawks

Oct. 29 – Nov. 4 : Philippe Cadorette, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

Oct. 22 – Oct. 28 : Michael Giugovaz, Peterborough Petes (read the InGoal interview here)

Oct. 15 – Oct. 21 : Jordon Cooke, Kelowna Rockets

Oct. 8 – Oct. 14 : Mac Carruth, Portland Winterhawks

Oct. 1 – Oct. 7 : Eetu Laurikainen, Swift Current Broncos

Sept. 24 – Sept. 30 : Sébastien Auger, Saint John Sea Dogs

Sept. 20 – Sept. 23 : John Gibson, Kitchener Rangers

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Henrik Lundqvist has again carried the New York Rangers into the second round. (InGoal Photo by Scott Slingsby, all rights reserved)

As if digging his New York Rangers out of a 2-0 and 3-2 first-round holes wasn’t enough, Lundqvist did it with consecutive shutouts against the Washington Capitals, following up Sunday’s tense 27-save, 1-0 shutout with a 35-stop, 5-0 blanking in Game 7 on the road on Monday. Lundqvist stopped 13 shots in the first period, setting the tone to end a three-game skid at the Verizon Center.

Not that fans should expect anything less from Lundqvist, who finished the first round with a .947 save percentage and 1.65 goals-against average behind an offensively challenged Rangers team that has leaned heavily on him all season.

There’s a reason he is a five time finalist and the reigning winner of the Vezina Trophy. And while Sergei Bobrovsky may deservedly supplant him for the NHL’s Top Goaltender award for this season, is there any arguing Lundqvist is the best in the game right now?

Former playing partner Alex Auld indicated on Twitter that Lundqvist was the most focussed – and Auld has played with Tim Thomas, Carey Price and Ed Belfour:

That focus includes a constant attention to detail with his own game, and while it’s strength is rooted in an unwavering belief in the goal line-out principles taught to him by Rangers goaltending guru Benoit Allaire, there is also a willingness to tinker around the edges. Just as InGoal recently praised Washington’s Braden Holtby for calming his game this season – and it stands for the young goalie, despite a second straight Game 7 loss to Lundqvist and the Rangers – it’s important to recognize Lundqvist’s evolution to the top.

InGoal Magazine documented it in a cover story on Lundqvist two springs ago. It started with Allaire and the inside-out philosophy when he first came over from Sweden, a radical departure for a goaltender that had played aggressively in his home country, but one he mastered is remarkably short order, which the long-time coach recognized immediately as a sign of future greatness.

“What I see with guys that can be top goalies in the League, they can make adjustments so fast,” Allaire told InGoal. “With Henrik I saw in the first year – the first month – that he can do it right away. It’s like Tiger Woods changing his swing. Henrik did the same thing, just made the adjustment. You can see the skill like a Tiger. He’s got it. If I will ask him to do something else, he will do it too. And you know those guys are so good to translate that information, to do it right away, that they can have success right away. Only the top guys have got that.”

Lundqvist’s belief in the value of that first big change remains the pillar of his game, and on the rare occasions it has let him down, he goes right back to it rather than looking to make changes, providing an incredible level of consistency. But that’s not to say Lundqvist isn’t willing to make other smaller adjustments with Allaire. Those have continued over the years.

They include everything from stance (Lundqvist has narrowed his feet, thus making himself taller); to raising his glove position in order to compensate for the amount of net shooters see while playing so deep; to taking more depth like he used to in Sweden against breakaways and certain odd-man rush situations, matching the speed and adding some of the backwards flow he otherwise removed.

“When you look at the great goalies they kind of changed their game when the game changed. To stay the best they adjusted,” Lundqvist told InGoal, singling out boyhood idols Patrick Roy, Dominik Hasek, and Belfour.

Lundqvist has also tinkered with his gear, including adopting a stiff practice glove because he liked it’s wide open presentation to the shooter so much, and being the first to run the boot strap of his pad through the back of his skate rather than under it. It’s an innovation that allows the pad to shift up and close the 5-hole better when he drops. It’s one other goalies like Calgary’s Danny Taylor, Anaheim’s Viktor Fasth, and Winnipeg’s Mark Dekanich have adopted, prompting the NHL to look at closing that loophole.

InGoal covered them all in the cover story, so be sure to check it out for more details and insights from Lundqvist himself, including sharing the drill he prefers to stay sharp before a game:

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As he pledged to InGoal last summer, Braden Holtby is showing off more of a controlled style in these playoffs. (InGoal photo by Scott Slingsby, All Rights Reserved)

It shouldn’t come as a total surprise that Holtby appears to be playing a more controlled, less amped-up version of the athletic style that so dramatically won him Washington’s starting role in last year’s playoffs.

It’s exactly what he told InGoal Magazine he was working on soon after they ended last summer.

At a time when so many other goaltenders and goalie coaches in North America were looking to increase the athleticism in their games, Holtby was headed in the other direction. While most of his puck-stopping peers were trying to get faster, Holtby was working hard to slow himself down – on and off the ice. It was all part of an ongoing effort to better control the incredible raw speed and power on display during last year’s memorable playoff run, a focus that included a focus on core and leg strength using everything from weight training to yoga to advanced heart-rate linked breathing techniques. It is all paying off with steadier performance this time.

“My main focus is to try and control my power and speed,” Holtby told InGoal during an hour-long interview. “With my game it’s about trying to control movements. I think a big benefit to me if you have the athleticism is being able to use it in the right way.”

For Holtby, it was all about constantly striving to find the perfect balance, whether it’s between routine and superstition in those pre-game rituals dubbed “Holtby-isms” and showcased on broadcasts; between athleticism and technique in save selections; between the outward energy he shows and the inner calm he feels; or between being a professional athlete and a new dad. On the ice, the balance includes choosing between the goalie he grew up wanting to be, and the one he needs to become in today’s NHL.

“I’m more of a reactive goalie, reading where the shot it is going, trying to force players to shoot in certain directions,” Holtby said, citing Martin Brodeur as his inspiration for trying to bait shooters. “Marty is obviously the best ever. I don’t think there will every be anyone as good at encouraging shooters to aim at a certain spot, but that was the age of goaltending I grew up watching on TV, and that’s where I got that from, seeing those guys when I was young and I trying to do it myself. That’s what got me to junior and professional, but that’s as far as it goes. To be successful at the next level you have to put in other parts.”

That means shifting away from too much reliance on athleticism, a more economical style that has also benefitted his energy levels after starting the season in the American Hockey League before moving on to an even heavier workload in the condensed NHL season.

“It’s always going to be a work in progress for me,” Holtby said, “Because when I struggle, my first fallback is onto my athleticism. And getting to a point where if I struggle I fall back on my technique is one thing I am really trying to work on.”

Judging by his performance heading into Game 7 against the Rangers on Monday, that work is paying off – the progress is evident.

~ You can still read the 10-page feature article on Holtby in the October, 2012 edition of InGoal Magazine , including insights into the benefits of playing forward and goal until he was 12, the role of his father, a pre-butterfly goalie in the WHL, on his development as a modern stopper, and lots of insights from Holtby on mental strength and those “Holtby-isms.”

Braden Holtby was featured in the October edition of InGoal Magazine.

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Laurent Brossoit was named the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week. (Clint Trahan photo)

The Canadian Hockey League announced that Laurent Brossoit of the Edmonton Oil Kings is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week for the second time in the 2013 CHL Playoffs after posting a 2-1-0-0 record including a shutout victory with a goals-against-average of 1.33 and save percentage of .959 for the week ending May 5.

Brossoit backstopped the Oil Kings to a berth in the WHL Championship Series for the second straight season following a dramatic 2-0 shutout victory over the Calgary Hitmen in Game 7 of the WHL’s Eastern Conference Finals last Tuesday night. He stopped all 26 shots he faced recording his fifth shutout of the 2013 WHL Playoffs and was named first star of the game. Facing the Portland Winterhawks for the Ed Chynoweth Cup in a rematch of last season’s final, Brossoit made 35 saves and was named second star of the 4-1 victory in Game 1 of the series on Friday night. The Winterhawks evened the series with a 3-0 win in Game 2 on Saturday night with Brossoit making 33 saves despite the loss. The series resumes with Game 3 set for Tuesday night in Edmonton, with Game 4 scheduled for Wednesday.

Brossoit, a 20-year-old from Surrey, BC, is playing in his third full WHL season. Selected by the Calgary Flames in the sixth round of the 2011 NHL Draft, Brossoit leads the 2013 WHL Playoffs with a goals-against-average of 1.62 and his save percentage of .942 is ranked second in the league in 18 games played.

Also considered for the award this week was Mathias Niederberger of the Barrie Colts who posted a 2-1-0-0 record with a goals-against-average of 2.01 and save percentage of .952, and Zach Fucale of the Halifax Mooseheads who posted a 2-0-0-0 record with a shutout victory and a goals-against-average of 1.50 and save percentage of .949. Niederberger and the Colts currently lead the London Knights 2-1 in the OHL Championship Series for the Robertson Cup, while Fucale and the Mooseheads currently lead the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 2-0 in the QMJHL Finals for the President Cup.

2012-13 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 29 – May 5: Laurent Brossoit, Edmonton Oil Kings
Apr. 22 – Apr. 28: Simon Lemieux, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Apr. 15 – Apr. 21: Mac Carruth, Portland Winterhawks
Apr. 8 – Apr. 14: Malcolm Subban, Belleville Bulls
Apr. 1 – Apr. 7: Zachary Fucale, Halifax Mooseheads
Mar. 25 – Mar. 31: Laurent Brossoit, Edmonton Oil Kings
Mar. 18 – Mar. 24: Cam Lanigan, Medicine Hat Tigers

2012-13 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Matt Mahalak, Plymouth Whalers
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: François Brassard, Quebec Remparts
Feb. 25 – Mar. 3: Alex Nedeljkovic, Plymouth Whalers
Feb. 18 – Feb. 24: Malcolm Subban, Belleville Bulls
Feb. 11 – Feb. 17: Zachary Fucale, Halifax Mooseheads
Feb. 4 – Feb. 10: Brandon Whitney, Victoriaville Tigres
Jan. 28 – Feb. 3: Andrey Makarov, Saskatoon Blades
Jan. 21 – Jan. 27: Alex Dubeau, Moncton Wildcats
Jan. 14 – Jan. 20: Cam Lanigan, Medicine Hat Tigers
Jan. 7 – Jan. 13: Matt Murray, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Dec. 31 – Jan. 6: Christopher Gibson, Chicoutimi Sagueneens
Dec. 24 – Dec. 30: Austin Lotz, Everett Silvertips
Dec. 10 – Dec. 16: Brett Zarowny, Prince George Cougars
Dec. 3 – Dec. 9: JP Anderson, Sarnia Sting
Nov. 26 – Dec. 2: Kevin Bailie, London Knights
Nov. 19 – Nov. 25: Patrik Bartosak, Red Deer Rebels
Nov. 12 – Nov. 18: Mackenzie Skapski, Kootenay Ice
Nov. 5 – Nov. 11 : Mac Carruth, Portland Winterhawks
Oct. 29 – Nov. 4 : Philippe Cadorette, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28 : Michael Giugovaz, Peterborough Petes
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21 : Jordon Cooke, Kelowna Rockets
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14 : Mac Carruth, Portland Winterhawks
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7 : Eetu Laurikainen, Swift Current Broncos
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30 : Sébastien Auger, Saint John Sea Dogs
Sept. 20 – Sept. 23 : John Gibson, Kitchener Rangers

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InGoal wants to know who you would give this trophy to for the 2013 season

Some, InGoal is told, will consult their goaltending coaches before making a choice, while others make the decision on their own.

We’ve got our winner in mind already, and a feature article on his outstanding season in the works, but before we finalize any decisions we wanted to reach out to our readers and gather your opinion on who has been the NHL’s top tender this season.

You can either vote now, or read through our top-7 candidates and vote at the bottom:

Craig Anderson, Ottawa Senators

Craig Anderson in his new Sub-Zero pads and blocker. (Photo by Ken DeNardo)

- .943 even strength save percentage (1st)

Considering he set a modern NHL record for save percentage at .941 – eclipsing the .940 mark set by Brian Elliott last season, this would be a run-away win for Anderson if not for the act he missed almost half a season recovering from an ankle sprain. After working out with Francois Allaire the final four weeks of the lockout, the normally skate-and-react Anderson added a new layer of technique, especially on recoveries in tight, and blended them well, especially early. The only question is whether playing half a season is enough to warrant Vezina votes.

Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets

Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky makes a glove save (Photo by Clint Trahan)

- .941 even strength save percentage (2nd)

In his first season with Columbus after being cast off from Philadelphia, Bobrovsky was the biggest part of one of the best late-season stories in the NHL, leading an unlikely playoff charge that came up short on the final day of the season only because Minnesota held the tiebreaker. After making adjustments overseas in his native Russia during the lockout to play bigger on his knees – he is no longer hunched over as much at the hips, which also allowed him to get his hands out in front of him rather than trying to make saves behind his ears – Bobrovsky overcame a sloppy start to finish as one of, if not the, best goaltenders in the NHL.

Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

With little run support, Lundqvist built a strong case for a second straight Vezina Trophy (Scott Slingsby Photo)

- .937 even strength save percentage (4th)

Just another great season for the Swedish star dubbed The King in New York, holding the fort as the Rangers tried to rediscover their identity as the Black and Blue Shirts after discarding depth and adding skill up front. It wasn’t always pretty for the team, but by the end they were back in the playoffs in large part because Lundqvist was again back among the NHL leaders in most of the major goaltending statistics, and back again in the conversation for a Vezina Trophy he finally won last season after three as a finalist.

Tuuka Rask, Boston Bruins

Boston’s Tuuka Rask has rarely missed a beat since the departure of Tim Thomas. (Scott Slingsby photo)

- .940 even strength save percentage (3rd)

Rask has emerged from the shadow of Tim Thomas in the past, even taking over in the playoffs in 2010 while his predecessor struggled with a hip injury that would eventually require surgery. But this was the first time the move to No.1 was clearly permanent, with Thomas taking a year off and his rights (and salary cap hit) then traded to the New York Islanders. And while there were some ups and downs down the stretch, overall Rask acquitted himself admirably, finishing top-3 in the telling even strength save percentage and establishing himself not only as a worthy successor as the Bruins No.1, but also a worthy finalist for the Vezina Trophy.

Antti Niemi, San Jose Sharks

Niemi focussed on his leg strength after being slowed by an injury last season, then kept the Sharks in the playoffs. (Ken DeNardo photo)

- .930 even strength save percentage (10th)

Niemi enters the playoffs as one of four goaltenders with a Stanley Cup ring from his 2010 run with the Chicago Blackhawks, but this is the first year in the Vezina conversation and he would be a very worthy finalist after tying for the NHL lead in wins and starts, and finishing third in saves (1,127) while backstopping a Sharks team that had to re-invent itself midway through the season behind a pretty average defense. Despite some accompanying mid-season slumps for both himself and the team, Niemi finished among the League leaders in most major statistics and as the unquestioned leader in San Jose’s ninth straight playoff berth.

Corey Crawford, Chicago Blackhawks

Corey Crawford adjusted his initial depth after chasing plays too hard last season, and has emerged as a legitimate Vezina candidate. (Kevin Woodley photo)

- .934 even strength save percentage (7th)

Crawford already has one major award this season after splitting the William H. Jennings Trophy with partner Ray Emery for the fewest goals against in the NHL this season. Unfortunately that may hurt in the Vezina voting, in part because his play is seen by many as part of the Blackhawks’ season-long dominance, and in part because Emery went 17-1-0 this season. But that should not in any way diminish the work of Crawford, who topped Emery in both overall and even strength save percentage and established himself as a legitimate NHL No.1 after trying too hard to prove it to people last season. Crawford chased the play way too much in his first attempt as a starter, seemingly trying to prove to outsiders he could be athletic by putting himself in scramble situations far too often with over-aggressive play. That didn’t happen this season, as goalie coach Stephane Waite backed him up in the crease and Crawford allowed the play to come to him more, relying more on positioning and technique, and flashing the athleticism when needed.

Cory Schneider, Vancouver Canucks- 17-9-4 record in 30 starts (21st)

- .931 even strength save percentage (9th)

Like Crawford, Schneider probably won’t be a finalist in NHL voting because he shared starts with Roberto Luongo for the first half of the condensed season. But after some early ups and downs in his first year as the would-be No.1, Schneider took the job for good after mid-March, starting 16 of 18 down the stretch and winning 11 of those starts while posting a .942 save percentage and four shutouts, erasing any lingering doubts about who the Canucks would move forward with in net.

That’s it for our choices. Now make your vote:

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The Canadian Hockey League today announced that Simon Lemieux of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar is the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week with a 1-0-0-0 record posting a goals-against-average of 0.95 and save percentage of .967 for the playoff week ending April 28.

Lemieux backstopped the Drakkar to a critical Game 5 victory over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in his first appearance of the QMJHL Playoffs making 29 saves as second star of the 2-1 overtime victory on Friday night. The win lifted the Drakkar to a 3-2 Semi-Final series lead before clinching a berth in the QMJHL Finals with a 4-0 win in Game 6 on Sunday. The Drakkar will face the top ranked Halifax Mooseheads for the President Cup beginning Friday night.

Lemieux, an 18-year-old from Sept-Iles, Quebec, is playing in his first full QMJHL season with the Drakkar. He posted an 8-2-0-1 record with two shutouts as a rookie this season along with a goals-against-average of 2.35 and save percentage of .908.

Also considered for the award this week was last week’s winner Mac Carruth of the Portland Winterhawks who went 2-1-0-0 with a shutout victory posting a goals-against-average of 2.01 and save percentage of .926 in the final three games of the Winterhawks’ five-game series win over the Kamloops Blazers. In the OHL, Malcolm Subban of the Belleville Bulls went 2-0-2-0 in four games of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Barrie Colts with a goals-against-average of 2.49 and save percentage of .933.

2012-13 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week – Playoffs:
Apr. 22 – Apr. 28: Simon Lemieux, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Apr. 15 – Apr. 21: Mac Carruth, Portland Winterhawks
Apr. 8 – Apr. 14: Malcolm Subban, Belleville Bulls
Apr. 1 – Apr. 7: Zachary Fucale, Halifax Mooseheads
Mar. 25 – Mar. 31: Laurent Brossoit, Edmonton Oil Kings
Mar. 18 – Mar. 24: Cam Lanigan, Medicine Hat Tigers

2012-13 Vaughn CHL Goaltenders of the Week – Regular Season:
Mar. 11 – Mar. 17: Matt Mahalak, Plymouth Whalers
Mar. 4 – Mar. 10: François Brassard, Quebec Remparts
Feb. 25 – Mar. 3: Alex Nedeljkovic, Plymouth Whalers
Feb. 18 – Feb. 24: Malcolm Subban, Belleville Bulls
Feb. 11 – Feb. 17: Zachary Fucale, Halifax Mooseheads
Feb. 4 – Feb. 10: Brandon Whitney, Victoriaville Tigres
Jan. 28 – Feb. 3: Andrey Makarov, Saskatoon Blades
Jan. 21 – Jan. 27: Alex Dubeau, Moncton Wildcats
Jan. 14 – Jan. 20: Cam Lanigan, Medicine Hat Tigers
Jan. 7 – Jan. 13: Matt Murray, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Dec. 31 – Jan. 6: Christopher Gibson, Chicoutimi Sagueneens
Dec. 24 – Dec. 30: Austin Lotz, Everett Silvertips
Dec. 10 – Dec. 16: Brett Zarowny, Prince George Cougars
Dec. 3 – Dec. 9: JP Anderson, Sarnia Sting
Nov. 26 – Dec. 2: Kevin Bailie, London Knights
Nov. 19 – Nov. 25: Patrik Bartosak, Red Deer Rebels
Nov. 12 – Nov. 18: Mackenzie Skapski, Kootenay Ice
Nov. 5 – Nov. 11 : Mac Carruth, Portland Winterhawks
Oct. 29 – Nov. 4 : Philippe Cadorette, Baie-Comeau Drakkar
Oct. 22 – Oct. 28 : Michael Giugovaz, Peterborough Petes
Oct. 15 – Oct. 21 : Jordon Cooke, Kelowna Rockets
Oct. 8 – Oct. 14 : Mac Carruth, Portland Winterhawks
Oct. 1 – Oct. 7 : Eetu Laurikainen, Swift Current Broncos
Sept. 24 – Sept. 30 : Sébastien Auger, Saint John Sea Dogs
Sept. 20 – Sept. 23 : John Gibson, Kitchener Rangers

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