When Dave Flint’s Northeastern Huskies entered the Women’s Hockey East playoffs last spring, they were a .500 team (11-11-2 in WHE). In short, they needed to win the league title to get an invitation to the NCAA tournament. Despite having an experienced junior goaltender in Brittany Bugalski, Flint … [Read more...]
Team-oriented Marc-Andre Fleury a role model for youth goalies
During Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, I was multi-tasking, trying to get some work done while watching the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights battle it out for professional hockey supremacy. The Caps got the jump on the Knights, building a 3-0 first-period lead, which prompted a few … [Read more...]
As goalie industry evolves, Mike Vaughn remains laser focused
Goalie equipment pioneer Mike Vaughn had no illusions of grandeur when he was growing up in Michigan in the 1970s and ‘80s. He was a sturdy-if-unspectacular goaltender who understood that the professional game wasn’t in his future. At least not as a player. “I played in the local area here, in the … [Read more...]
Former NHL goalies chronicle the position’s mental struggles, battles
The tale of Wilf Cude is legendary within goaltending circles, and for good reason, especially among old-school netminders who have an appreciation for the game’s history. But even the youngest goalies can appreciate the pressures that caused Cude to crack. Cude, a native of Wales who grew up in … [Read more...]
Goalie Guru: If you want someone’s attention, whisper
At the risk of dating myself (yet again), I was recently thinking back to my heyday of the 1970s and ‘80s, when there was a popular perfume commercial with the tagline: “If you want someone’s attention, whisper.” I’ve always thought this is a great approach for coaching. I’m not exactly “quiet” by … [Read more...]
Toughness is a trademark that can be developed
I absolutely love playoff hockey, especially postseason college hockey. No knock on the National Hockey League playoffs, which are great, but the college game, both the women and the men, is a series of "win or go home" contests. It doesn’t get much better than that. Now, add the ever-present … [Read more...]
