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In hockey, when a player sets up in front of the opposing team’s goaltender it is called a screen. Screening is a tactic used to deliberately make it difficult for the opposing team’s goalie to see the puck. Many times, a goal is scored solely because the goalie cannot see the shot. Because of this, it is essential goalies know what to do when they are being screened and how to best tip the hockey odds in their favour.
As a goalie, one of the first things you should do when a player sets up a screen in front of you is get down low. The objective is to see the puck as it comes off the stick. By getting into a low crouch, you’ll be able to get a better line of sight on the puck. When you can, try and peak around the opposing forward to get a look at the play, but do not let this move take you out of position to make the save.
A second thing you should do is communicate with your defenceman so you have someone on your team covering the person in front of the net. From your opponents point of view, one of the secondary benefits of screening the goalie is that you have someone in front of the net to collect rebounds and score easy goals. If an opponent is open out front, call your defenceman over to cover them. If the other team is screening you often and it seems like a part of their strategy, let your team know between periods so everyone is watching out for, and aware of, opponents in front of the net.
Third, remember to stay strong out there; it’s essential to stand your ground as a goalie. The blue-ice (crease) is your space and if an opponent is bumping into you in that space that is an interference penalty on them. If you feel the other players are knocking into you, communicate this, politely, to the referee. His job is to call a fair game and he should take your comments into consideration in future plays.
We hope these tips will help you if you’re being screened. Remember: stay strong, stay low and communicate with your team and the referee to beat the screen!
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