Bringing intensity to your game

Although a lot of goalie schools and technical think tanks preach a more conservative, calm and cool deep in the crease approach to goaltending, due to being able to get across for in-close passed shots and to avoid getting sniped, I'm still a firm believer in attacking shots. Not negatively, but positively challenging the shooter and appropriately. Just like Jonathan Quick!

Intensity is what gets you nominated for Vezina trophies and is what wins them. You don't get called "The Dominator" (like Hasek) by being easy to beat. The more intense you are, the harder you look to score on and the tougher you are to beat. Killing two birds with one stone as you try and get in shooter's heads!

He's an example of "Bob" warming up with the same approach he had in every game of his Vezina winning season, whilst playing in the KHL during last season's lockout:

• Never quit on the play: don't ever, ever give up!
• Battle until the puck ends up over the line
• Push out explosively; the harder you drive, the quicker you get to places, but this obviously needs precision and control
• Want it: if you want it badly enough, you'll make it (and that's for anything in life really!)
• Be hard to beat; not just giving up soft goals but really push shooters to work to be able to score on you
• Fight for space, fight to see the puck and fight against the shot
• Position aggressively and challenge the angle and shooting space 
• Play like "it's your last game" - sounds a little random and morbid, but play like there's no tomorrow and you'll soon see an improvement in how hard you battle!

Although Tim Thomas is often compared to a street hockey goalie, he is a definitive competitor. His story of how he got to the NHL is extroardinary, but he got his head down, knuckled on with it and look how far he went! Dwayne Roloson too, a late bloomer, but one game away from a Stanley Cup ring. Or Niemi who went from zamboni driver between periods whilst paying his way to play in Finland, to a rookie winning a Stanley Cup with Chicago, all out of hard work, drive and determination.

In my opinion, having an intense approach really helps you "get in the zone" every game, which is arguably where you want to be to play your best. And it also helps you stand out from the crowd at trials and camps. Why? Because you're the hardest working goalie out there! It's worth a thought if not anything else!

 And for some motivational videos, just watch Rinne and "Bob" and how much they hate being scored on!