Goaltender

From ArticleWorld

Part of the time the hockey goaltender is all alone at one end of the ice hockey rink and part of the time he/she is surrounded by both teams and is at the center of the action. The hockey goaltender, better known as the goalie, is the last line of defense between the opposing team and his/her squad’s goal. It’s his job to put his/her body between the fast-moving puck and the goal. Fortunately, the hockey goalie has special equipment and some rules to even the odds. And, he/she should only have to worry about making a save, stopping the puck, if the other team gets past his defenders. Still, the position of goaltender is one of skill, courage and a willingness to “take one for the team” repeatedly. In a game noted for its low scores and one-goal victories, the goalie is often the difference between a win and a loss.

Stopping the puck

The goalie has one primary mission: keep the puck out of his team’s goal. Doing so means the goaltender has done his job, he/she has made a “save”. Saving the puck from going into the goal means the goalie has put his hands, feet, chest, stick, pads, glove or head in the path of the speeding puck. One of the few special rules just for goalies is that he/she can use his/her hands to catch and hold or release the puck for further play. Goalies wear a large padded glove, not unlike that work by a first baseman in baseball. Modern day goalies also have large pads on the opposite hand that extend up to the elbow called a “blocker”. In the goal, they wear large shin-guards to protect their legs, extra upper-body padding and a helmet with a large metal cage. It wasn’t always this way. It wasn’t until 1959 that goalies in the National Hockey League began wearing close-fitting fiberglass masks to protect their faces.

Famous Goaltenders

The Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Canada has 34 goalies enshrined in its hallowed halls. They span the decades and embody different styles of play. Among the best are:

1. Turk Broda, the minder of the nets for the Toronto Maple Leafs, well known for his quick wit;
2. Gary Cheevers, who while playing for the Boston Bruins became one of the few goalies to not wait close to the goal, but ventured out to attack a rushing opponent;
3. Ken Dryden, an Ivy League educated lawyer, Dryden was in the winning goal for six Stanley Club victories in eight seasons;
4. Tony Esposito, in 15 years with the Chicago Blackhawks, he made a name for himself with a free-wheeling style that saw him flop to the ice and flail his legs in what was called “butterfly” goal tending;
5. ”Fast” Eddie Giacomin, another goalie who often left the goal;
6. Bernie Parent, noted for his stand-up style instead of crouching like other goalies, he was a leader for the Philadelphia Flyers when they were known as the Broad Street Bullies;
7. Terry Sawchuck, the Detroit Red Wings standout with more games and more shutouts to his record than any other goalie;
8. Lorne “Gump” Worsley, a stout, tough netminder with a fear of flying that ended his career.