Skate Saves & Leg Saves

To make a good skate save or pad save, the goalie needs to be fast, flexible, and balanced. The goalie needs to get down fast, keep the skate blade or pad FLAT on the ice, and get up quickly to make the next save. If the skate or pad is not flat, there is only a small chance of stopping the puck.

Leg Saves

Leg Saves are good when the puck is not too far from your body, when you can't see the shot, when you are waiting for the shot, or speed is not important.

This goalie is challenging the shooters, keeping the pads flat, and moving quickly. These are good, quick saves and and the goalie is getting up quickly, so there's a good chance of making the first save and second save, if necessary. Very good!





This goalie is moving quickly. The leg that isn't making the save is flat and in the right position.


It looks smooth, but the pad or skate making the save is not flat, so there's little chance of making the save.



The first goalie (see below) is not extending his legs, so there's almost no chance of making the save.

The legs have to be extended, the pads need to be flat, and he needs to get up quickly.

The second goalie (see below) is challenging the shooters and making good, quick saves. (Except for the second one. Don't use your blocker on the ice!) Should be getting up a little faster, but still good.


The third goalie (see below) has very good technique. His legs are extended, pads are flat, and his body is held tall. He challenges the shooter and gets up very well. But he goes down far too early on the first shot, and ends up reaching awkwardly for the puck. Because he moves far too soon--commits himself far too early--he spoils a good technique; sometimes you have to wait for a shot, but this is too much.

Skate Saves

Skate Saves are good when the puck is far from your body, when you want to kick the rebound to the corner or to your teammate, when you have to get up quickly, or speed is important.


...more to come....