I have been in contact with Phil Maltese of Maltese Sports for several years since buying his first generation mask gel system many moons ago, after learning that Olaf Kolzig had it in his mask back in 2001, at which point I had to have it too.

For those unfamiliar with Maltese gel, it is a direct replacement for mask foam that claims to be safer, cleaner, and cooler.

So all the cool kids must have been using it, right? Not so much. The gel was also a lot heavier than standard mask foams, which caused many to shy away. But as technology goes, so does the goalie industry, and Maltese Sports is back with a brand new invention: The Maltese Mask Gel version 3.

Not only is the latest incarnation easier to apply to your mask, safer than standard foams, and come with antibacterial properties (no more hockey smell? Sign me up), but it is now also comparable in weight to standard mask foams. They’ve accomplished this by using a new process to impregnated the foam with air, making it lighter and more shapeable while drastically reducing the overall weight with losing its protective properties. After hearing all that, I had to give it a try again.

Maltese V3 installed in a mask

I called Phil up and he set me up with a gel combo/throat protector, and his Version 3 Mask Gel System.

All I had to do was wait for it to arrive and slap it in the old mask. Of course as always that was easier said than done.

Yes, the Maltese V3 installs easily, but the old foam was a pain to get out. Sore fingers aside, I find I have a more custom and comfortable fit with the V3 installed in my mask. I get that closer to the cage feel I like with my face – and better vision through the cage as a result – it’s a lot cooler, as there is way less of the V3 gel in the mask than there was foam, and the slight weight difference is hardly noticeable now due to the new V3 gel technology.

Shots in the mask with don’t seem to ring as bad, and I have felt fewer concussive impacts (that slapped feeling you get sometimes after getting hit square in the face). In my opinion, if you are looking to get a mask refurbished, need to replace the foam in your mask, or looking for more protection, at least give Maltese Mask Gel consideration. It is comparatively priced to other replacement foam kits, and for you chin sling lovers out there, Maltese offers a chin sling option now as well.

The author and his Maltese Throat Protector

After getting the products from Phil (His Throat/Combo is something I will never be without now after trying.) I was curious about how he got his start in hockey and how he came up with some of his ideas. I also wondered why more people weren’t using his products, and what he thought of all of the concussions and head injuries we are seeing lately, so I called him up, and he agreed to do an interview with me.

The following is our conversation. Phil warned me that he gets a little excited at times, and can be candid, but that only made me want to talk with him more:

IGM: So what is your hockey background?

PM: My background in hockey started back in the early seventies outside in front of my house in a post world war housing development. Back then I played anything I could because sitting on your ass playing video games wasn’t invented yet. But one day we got a very fuzzy picture of what appeared to be a hockey game on the TV. It was one of those UHF stations … Channel 29.  You squint at the TV most of the time trying to figure out what was happening and then you get a flash of a real image and that’s when I saw Bernie Parent with ‘that’ mask of his. That’s when I decided to learn to skate … at fourteen years old.  Goalie was the only position for me, which was good, because I didn’t know how to skate. But if you want something bad enough – translation, are willing to humiliate yourself in order to learn – you too can play this game. Fortunately for me, my school had its own rink and before you know it, I’m getting around in a very non-ambulatory way. Long story short, I’ve been a goalie for thirty-six years.

IGM: Let’s talk some history – What makes someone get started in implementing gel in to hockey equipment?

PM: “I bought one of the masks (pro players were wearing) back in the day. It was cool looking like the other guys, however, after a period of time of owning and using the mask, let’s say two years to be fair, the padding would no longer hold the shape of the mask no matter which adhesive I tried. Plus it smelled and was now hard – tough to squeeze. So I sat down and had a good think. I can’t remember now how I arrived at gel, but it had to have been a commercial for Dr. Scholl’s gel foot beds that got me to thinking. So I made a phone call to the company on the back of one of those foot bed packages. I couldn’t believe how deep within the company I was able to get. I spoke to a gentleman and told him my intended use. He confessed a gel supplier was who I really wanted to speak with. The glitch was he wasn’t allowed to tell me the name of the gel supplier. Naturally I made a disappointed sigh and just before we hung up, he said the name! From there I called the right people and before you could say “large sums of money” we were on our way to version one of the gel interior.

“When it was due to arrive it occurred to me that the previous padding (foam) was a half inch thick most places. How was something half the thickness going cause my mask to fit now? Didn’t even occur to me to think how is quarter inch padding going to protect me? Naturally, I was very excited to see if I was the proud owner of a real idea or just a hair-brained idea. I put the mask on, adjusted the back plate straps and much to my surprise, the mask felt like it fit and it felt nice – but a little heavy. Turns out version one weighed a hefty fourteen ounces. First game wearing it, I get kicked in the head full force. Both the ref and player asked if I was all right, immediately I got up, shook my mask into place and headed for my post. Amazingly, I was more than okay, I was stoked!”

IGM: What’s your take on the head injuries happening in the NHL? Players or equipment?

 PM: “In my opinion, most of those head injuries – talking goalies here – could be avoided if one simple aspect of the mask was changed and that’s the interior padding. What did you think I would say? These are my own experiences with various padding that seems to occur after the padding has gone from its supple feel to hardening. That padding is also a sponge for one’s sweat and filth and that builds with every use. Just like all the other foam padding, they were not specifically designed to attenuate impacts. That padding is in there to provide a degree of comfort and take up space. I’m starting to see a lot of complaints about customers mask padding. The latest is how foam irritates the skin.

Maltese V3 Gel Kit comes ready to install in your mask.

“The feedback from Ginny Capicchioni regarding her gel’d mask was very encouraging.  (She is the only woman to play men’s box lacrosse and she made the USA men’s box lacrosse team that recently played a tournament in the Czech republic.) Ginny is not a tall person so that puts her head right in harm’s way and she loves her gel setup. Another guy I sent a ‘loaner’ mask to reported that he took a ‘howitzer’ of a shot to the chin of the mask and even though in the past he has been concussed, he reported no side effects of any kind after that impact. I think it’s time to check with the real decision makers of hockey teams: The accountants.  There’s no denying that pro hockey players are a commodity and therefore an investment by their teams. If your star goalie gets knocked out, so to speak, of the lineup and this means you either miss the playoffs altogether or you don’t get deep, then you have to make a change to prevent that. My gel is that change.”

IGM: Why are so many head injuries occurring?

PM: “As previously stated, I think given that most masks are made of similar high grade materials – or at least they should be. The area where I believe makers ‘cheap’ out is in the padding they use.”

IGM: Do certifications make masks safer?

PM: “One of my favorite topics. I went through this process once, and my mask and gel setup passed on its first try. Testing at HECC involves an anvil drop test. This is where the head gear in question is placed or should I say strapped to a lead head form. Raised to a height of six feet and then dropped on what HECC calls an anvil, which is really a flat metal surface. That’s it. So that’s why we have mask lined with foam. The lead head form feels nothing so technically you could line any piece with concrete (there’s that reference again) and the head form wouldn’t complain. They perform another test to make sure the cage doesn’t break too easily and for butt ends to get through. That’s it! So in the end when a parent who knows very little about masks sees that ‘Good Housekeeping’ seal of approval, they’re drawing the conclusion that this mask will keep their child safe, but what they don’t know is how many tries it took to get that mask certified.”

IGM: Is it pointless to have a certification? Is it kind of a sell it to the highest bidder mentality?

PM: “I think a standard should be established, but without the antiquated set of criteria. It’s time to move toward a biofidelic head form with sensors to measure the force of impacts, decibel levels and pertinent data like that, so actually protecting the goalies head can occur.”

IGM: Would your product help? Why? Do you have proof?

PM: “My product would absolutely help because of the simple fact that my gel was specifically designed to attenuate impacts. An example would be, when I found gel it was being used in mostly medical applications. Like a cushion for an amputated leg in a prosthetic limb or a gel ring for the head of a newborn or as a bed pad to prevent bed sores. I just applied this technology to my sport, more specifically my position: goalie. As for proof, that resides in documents, which I have.”

IGM: How do you go about R&D with your products?

PM: “Ahhh, this is a closely guarded secret! I test the products myself initially. If I get the results I’m looking for then I ask for volunteers. They understand that their risk is minimal because I would never allow a quasi-effective product to go out. I have to be convinced that it’s working the way intended. If those volunteers are experiencing the same things as I or if they discovered something on their own then we make an adjustment.”

IGM: I know you a little better than the average consumer, and I know you don’t have a huge budget, are you often the guinea pig? (Is that why you agreed to talk with me?)

PM: “Absolutely, I’m the guinea pig! I wouldn’t have it any other way. Even if I had a huge budget, I would still want to be the initial tester because I don’t want anyone of my crew or customers getting hurt.”

IGM: Why do you think it is we don’t see Maltese gel in the better known mask/helmet manufacturer’s products?

PM: “Well, initially as in first version of the gel, when I shopped it around the big boys, all they mostly wanted to know was what did it weigh. After I told them, that was the end of the conversation. After it became clear to me that I was going to enjoy self-imposed gel exclusivity, I began making my own products to prove to myself that protection matters more than weight.  After all we are goalies playing a relatively stationary position with hard projectiles flying into us. …

“I have no real idea why the mask makers reject my material, but it doesn’t matter because the end user sees the value especially if they are having a negative experience with their current padding. Like skin irritations or concussions. You know, minor stuff.”

This is why thin padding is desirable, but not if that padding is junk. Quarter inch gel has served my customers for the past twelve years better than the various thicknesses other mask makers use.  I once pulled the foam out of an Itech mask that was an inch thick in the forehead.  To me any thicker than 3/8” and you’re too far away from the action.  While I’m at it, chin cups are the devils work and so is padding the entire inside of a goalie mask with foam.

IGM: If you had one opportunity to tell the world about Maltese Hockey, what would you say? Why should people use your products?

PM: “I play the position. I know what works and what doesn’t and many of the gear designs are just not thought out or designed by college boys that don’t even play hockey. When I get hurt another product is born. Simple, logical design has always worked for me. But most importantly, I care about my customer’s safety. I care that my name is on the product. I care that my customers get their money’s worth and I care that my product actually performs the way I say it will.”

As you can see, Phil is passionate about what he does, and the vibe I get from him is he truly cares. His products are born out of a need for something safer and more protective than what we have out there. Concussions have become an all too real reality in our sport and we definitely need to be better protected!

If you are interested in any of the Maltese products you can get in touch with Phil, and see his products through his website at www.MalteseSports.com.

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Martin Biron will demand HBO attention, if only to explain that annoying noise every time he takes off his skates.

If you’re looking for potential breakout stars during this year’s edition of the hit HBO series “24/7″ featuring the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers, keep your eyes on the crease – or more likely the end of the bench – because as popular as Rangers star Henrik Lundqvist is, his backup, Martin Biron, is one of the game’s most engaging puck stoppers.

But even if Biron doesn’t get enough air time to show off his incredible personality, wit and ability to tell a story, he’s bound to have a “roll” in the show. That’s because of the rolls of sock tape he uses every time he gets dressed, and the hard-to-miss sound they make every time he takes it all off, a noise sure to be picked up by the HBO cameras in the locker room.

With almost an entire roll around each ankle alone, it’s hard to miss, as you’ll hear after Biron explains how he got started using so much of the sticky stuff (he had to have it imported privately in Europe during the lockout) in the video below:

It’s not the first time Biron has explained his penchant for sock tape, joking in the past he keeps the companies in business and owns lots of stock in them. Biron also talked last season about the significant changes he made in his style under Rangers goalie guru Benoit Allaire (HBO viewers will see a lot of similarities to Lundqvist on the ice), offered advice for kids, and broke down his equipment preferences (some ancient) during an InGoal Ask a Pro segment last season. Be sure to check it out, whether HBO does or not.

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Long-time skate manufacturer branching out its product line

Graf Canada has long been known as one of the leading manufacturers of goal skates but when InGoal spoke with Chairman Claude Lemieux recently we discovered that Graf  has a new line for goalies in store for the upcoming season. While the four-time Stanley Cup winner may not have made his name in goal, he was happy to share his new product with our readers, noting that at under 690 grams the weight of the new Graf G7500 Composite Goal sticks are on par with some of the wooden sticks Lemieux skated with as a forward for six NHL teams from 1985-2009.

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Anaheim Ducks Goalie Jonas Hiller played his first game i six months Saturday after suffering from vertigo (Scott Slingsby Photo)

Jonas Hiller couldn’t remember the last time he was as nervous about playing a game of hockey.

After missing six months with vertigo Hiller’s anxiety was understandable.

“Maybe my first game in the NHL,” Hiller said with a wide smile after stopping all 21 shots he faced during two periods of a 4-1 Anaheim win in Vancouver Saturday night – his first game since March 24. ”It’s definitely been a while and I was actually a bit nervous because it has been such a long time since I played a real game.”

It sure didn’t look like it.

Included in Hiller’s perfect night against an admittedly overmatched Canucks squad better suited – and mostly destined – for the American League were a handful of highlight reel saves. Before giving way to third-stringer Jeff Deslauriers to start the third period, Hiller threw out his right pad to rob Cody Hodgson from the slot, his left to take a tap-in away from Victor Oreskovich late in the first period, and robbed Maxim Lapierre from close range using both his blocker and glove in the second.

“For the first game I felt really good out there,” said Hiller, who seemed more comfortable in his crease as the game went on. “I felt I made some good saves. It’s definitely something I can build on.”

Hiller, named the game’s first star, had to wait a long time for his foundation to settle underneath him.

Anaheim’s top stopper was earning accolades as a Vezina Trophy favorite before taking a couple of shots off the mask at last year’s NHL All-Star Game. He began to experience dizziness later that week, but tried a couple of times to come back amid varying diagnosis, and even pitched a shutout before the symptoms persisted. The Ducks’ best player was forced to watch the playoffs from the sidelines.

Hiller returned to Switzerland and took an entire month off to vacation. It wasn’t until returning to the ice in mid-July at the annual Swiss goalie camp run by Toronto goaltending guru Francois Allaire that Hiller began to feel like himself again.

“It felt right away a lot better then when I left Anaheim after the season and it gave me confidence and just got better day by day,” Hiller, 29, said. “I thought it was perfect, just doing goalie drills and knowing what was happening and work on my technique.”

The bigger test would come in early August, when Hiller began working out with the Swiss league team in Bern. That meant scrimmaging, which had caused him problems back in Anaheim because he wasn’t able to focus on the puck with so much else going on around him.

This time there were no problems, but Hiller was admittedly still nervous about his first real NHL action. As for pulling the chute on it prematurely, he said it was his choice to leave after the second period, but happily reported it was because of tight hips, not his head.

“I didn’t want to stretch or pull something,” said Hiller. “I didn’t want to overdo it in my first game. I’m too excited for the next one.”

After going six months without – and wondering at times if he might never get another – it’s easy to understand Hiller’s joy.

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This video submitted to Youtube by the Winnipeg Free Press shows Chris Mason unveiling his new mask to the press – the mask that was first seen exclusively here at InGoal. In the video you can get a great feel for the details and metallic effects.

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This interview was originally published exclusively for InGoal newsletter subscribers. We are publishing it today for all our readers to enjoy. If you want the latest InGoal news, sign up for our free newsletter.

Todd Miska of Miska Designs started painting goalie masks for Dave’s Sport Shop in Fridley, MN while working as a sign painter. Fast forward 20 years and anybody with a little knowledge about painted goalie masks knows who Miska is. What is interesting about that though is how that all happened.

A request to paint then Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Eddie Belfour’s mask in the early ‘90s has rippled into a nice business that allows Miska to spend time with his kids and have fun.

“It’s neat to look back and see how it just grew,” Miska said.

Miska went from having a Mask he painted in the Minnesota boy’s hockey state finals every year, to having a client list of NHL and college goalies that keeps him busy.

“I don’t want to paint every mask in the NHL,” Miska said. “To give each mask the attention they deserve, I wouldn’t have enough time to paint everybody’s mask. If I took on all that work I’d need a pool of guys working for me and I don’t want that.”

A row of unpainted shells sits on a shelf in the painting portion of Miska's studio - each one for a customer who knows exactly what they want on their mask.

Miska added that there are many talented mask painters out there, and each one has their own style. Not every goalie has the same personality, so it’s good for them to have options in mask painters. With every mask designer having their own style, Miska has a firm grasp on what he believes makes for good masks design too.

“You should be able to tell what it (the design on the mask) is from the stands or on TV. Some of these guys have such intricate designs that you have to be right on top of them to tell what it is, but you are seeing a trend back to simplicity,” Miska said as he pointed to a Molson poster on his wall featuring several Greg Harrison masks with clean, simple lines.

One goalie that has tested Miska’s idea of simple and identifiable from the stands and TV is Minnesota Wild goalie Josh Harding. Miska has worked with Harding quite a bit as he changes his masks regularly, often times to raise money for charity. Many hockey fans will remembers Harding’s breast cancer mask with pink ribbons and the “Fund the Fight – Find a Cure” wording on it. The mask was a tribute to Harding’s sister who battled breast cancer.

“When Harding came to me he wanted to go all pink” Miska said, “so I threw the idea out of the smaller ribbons while blending it with the Wild colors and he liked it.”

The mask raised breast cancer awareness as most hockey announcers discussed it when their teams faced the wild, but it also opened the doors for other promotions to raise awareness that spread to the minor leagues and other sports.

Of course Harding is known for another mask of his, the one that depicts the Wild’s equipment van burning.

“When I heard the news of the Wild’s equipment van burning, I got on the phone to the Wild equipment manager and asked is Harding’s new mask that I had just finished was in the van,” Miska said. “He told me that both goalies (Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding’s) masks were lost.”

Harding came to Miska to discuss a new mask and that’s when he floated the idea of a tribute to the Ottawa Fire Department for extinguishing the fire.

“I found some actual pictures of the burnt equipment, went off of that and added the fire truck on the other side,” Miska said.

Other notable Harding Masks have included his favorite band, Rascal Flatts, and a tribute to his childhood friends playing some rat hockey across the street from Harding’s house.

It's easy to spot a Miska helmet by the "M" above the eye brow. Miska simply uses the same template for all the masks as seen here. He does say that he has to replace it every so often as it gets worn out.

More than hockey

Goalie masks are not the only things Miska paints. He has painted the catcher’s helmet for the Minnesota Twins American League M.V.P. catcher Joe Mauer and his back up Mike Redmond.

“The Twins equipment manager asked the Wild equipment manager who painted their masks,” Miska said. “After that he gave me a call and asked if I could paint Mauer and Redmond’s helmets to look like their throwback helmets.”

And the sign painting Miska was doing when he started? Well those signs were mostly billboards. Billboard technology has changed in the past 20 years. Instead of painting the advertisements on billboards, the ads are printed on vinyl and stretched over the billboard. Miska still works on billboards, but since he only has to hang the vinyl, he has more time to devote to masks.

A family affair

Miska’s son Hunter is enjoying some success of his own in the hockey world.

“It’s just been the perfect storm,” Miska said of Hunter’s accent as a goalie.

It started a few years back when Harding invited Miska and his kids to meet for lunch. While at lunch Hunter asked Harding how old he was when he put the pads on and Josh told him 14, the same age as Hunter. Hunter had wanted to play goalie before, and even put the pads on when his goalie was sick or could not make it to a game when he was a squirt. His dad had seen the natural ability he had in the net and always had full gear ready for him to play, and of course a custom painted mask. When Hunter learned it wasn’t too late to give the position a serious try, he did everything he could to make that happen.

As a forward, Hunter had a chance to tryout for his high school’s team as a freshman, but when the coach asked the players to list what position they wanted to play, Hunter wrote down goalie. Hunter’s coach called Miska to discuss this with him as they both knew Hunter’s fondness for the position, but they were also aware of his mom’s objections. It was decided that Hunter was old enough to make the decision himself.

Hunter made the right decision as he backstopped his North Branch, MN team as a freshman, earning All-Conference honorable mention honors. It is something that doesn’t happen often in hockey crazy Minnesota. His play also earned him an invite to the Advanced Hockey Festival in St. Cloud, MN in the summer of 2010. He played well enough and moved onto the USA Hockey Boys Select 15 camp later in the year in New York.

Hunter performed well enough at the select 15,16 camp and through out the season that earned himself a spot on the USA National U-17 Development team, where he will reside in Ann Arbor, MI, for the next two years.

“As a parent it’s awesome,” Miska said. “I look at some of the USHL masks I’ve painted last year, and I’m thinking hey, Hunter will be playing against these guys next season, that’s wild.”

Hunter will be getting his mask custom painted by his Dad to represent the U.S. National Team Development Program.

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Cory Schneider took a shot recently in practice that made his sharp looking Canucks tribute mask unusable. The training staff needed a replacement for him in a hurry and they turned to Mark Hart of Hart Designs who has done work for the Canucks in the past to create a bold new look.

We’ve got some great shots of the mask as well as several of it as artist Mark Hart created the artwork. But first, take a few minutes to watch the video as InGoal’s Kevin Woodley spent some time chatting with Schneider today about the design:

Johnny Canuck intended to look like logo under the ice. Note skate marks on ice. Also can see in the retro mask portion the faux-fiberglass texturing.

Completed Mask

Cory Schneider's New Retro Canucks Mask

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Cory Schneider's New Retro Canucks Mask

Mask Under Construction

Cory Schneider's New Mask Under Construction

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Cory Schneider's New Mask Under Construction

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InGoal’s Managing Editor Kevin Woodley gives his game 2 analysis

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Chicago Blackhawks goalie Marty Turco (photo by Scott Slingsby)

This wasn’t how Marty Turco planned to spend the playoffs.

When he signed a bargain $1.3-million, one-year-deal late in the summer with Chicago, after the defending champions had parted ways with Stanley Cup-winning rookie Antti Niemi, it wasn’t to sit on the bench cheering on another first-year goaltender. But that’s exactly what happened with the emergence of Corey Crawford as both a Rookie of the Year candidate and the Blackhawks unquestioned No.1 heading into the 2011 postseason.

That would have surprised a lot of people after Turco signed, but what won’t surprise anyone who knows the 35-year-old, 10-year NHL veteran is how well he has handled the change in plans and roles.

Turco has yet to complain, leaving it for others to point out that the bulk of his starts came when the Blackhawks were suffering the worst of their championship hangover, before the team defense that defined that title run became a priority again. Rather than pointing out he is a rhythm goaltender – and surely Chicago must have known that before signing him – that never got another chance to really get on any kind of run the second half of the season, Turco has just supported his teammates, whether it was by staying out late in practice or publicly backing Crawford.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise then that when InGoal approached Turco in the middle of the first round of those playoffs, the goalie who revolutionized the way his peers played the puck, was gracious with his time, spending as much of it as the post-season locker room access rules allowed to answer our readers questions.

Before we start, however, a reminder to check out how Turco changed the puckhandling game – and the surprising role a letter from Ron Hextall played in that – by creating the “Turco Grip” while fooling around in college.

Given that, it’s not surprising our first two questions involve playing the puck:

Few goalies fire the puck as hard or as accurately as Chicago's Marty Turco (InGoal file photo)

~InGoal subscriber Alex Musick writes: I am excited to get to ask my favorite goaler a question. Marty, I have been a fan of yours for years and adopted your style of puck handling with great success, my question is what is your thought process/strategy when you are looking down the ice for an outlet pass and how long did it take to perfect your shot/pass?

Marty Turco:

“It’s instinct and confidence, certainly, but the biggest thing to do is to decide, or at least have an inkling, what you are going to do before you get the puck. Your head has got to be up and take a look.

“If you got to get on your horse and race for a puck because they are making a change and your winger is staying on the ice, you want to get there if that’s your plan. You still got to get there and coral the darn thing and then see if it’s still a viable option. But mostly overall it’s just the general awareness of the play, who is coming at you and where the puck is, where your teammates are, and I would say 90 per cent of it is decided before I even get the puck.

“But always you’ve also got to leave yourself an out, whether you have to dump it behind the net or have the ability to change angles and give it off to your defensemen or put it in a position for them. It’s something you have to do quick so it’s better to have your plan beforehand.”

~InGoal reader Jasmine Johnson asks: I play as a goalie for the rolling Meadows girls hockey team. How do you get out of the net so much to get the puck? The other goalie on my team tried, but she got scored on. We are going into the spring season, so I would like to improve my skills before the fall and winter season.

Marty Turco:

Chicago goalie Marty Turco is always shooting pucks, whether in practice or before a game (Scott Slingsby photo)

“Practices aren’t often set up for goalies. They want us to stop the puck but they don’t always give us the proper environment to do that for the games, but that aside really it comes down to the individual and the time and effort that they want to put in there. Sometimes it just doesn’t happen during practice. It can be playing on the road and shooting pucks with your gloves on, and developing the strength to get better.

“I know at that age I had a hard time. The sticks you have are heavy or re-taped, or even if they are the best, at a young age it’s all about firing the puck and it comes with added strength and practice. If you see me out here even now I’ve always got a puck on my stick and I’m passing it or shooting it. You’re never going to be perfect so just continue to practice. You can play mental games with yourself, whether you are in the basement or in practice, you go out early or you stay out late. Like most things, good things come to those who put in the time and the effort.

“I’ve also been fortunate to have coaches that weren’t on your case too much about screwing up or not making great passes and that helped have the confidence to go out there and do it and try it and make mistakes and pick yourself up and go out and do it again the next shift.”

~InGoal reader Thomas from Floral Park, New York asks: Was it a big adjustment from Dallas to Chicago?

Marty Turco:

“The biggest adjustment probably had nothing to do with being on the ice, it was just moving. First time. Family. Three kids. That was an adjustment. My anxiousness or worries was more about my kids and their well-being and adjustment in school and picking them up from the only life they’d ever known, so that was the only hardship. But I found out my kids made it easier on me then maybe we did on them.

“They were great throughout the process, and we just fell in love with the city of Chicago instantly, which most people do. We came along at a great time, obviously, when the team was on top, but whether they won or not, the city, and (President) John McDonough and (General Manager) Stan Bowman and what (coach Joel Quenneville) has got this team doing and the players they got here, it’s pretty easy moving in.”

~InGoal subscriber Joe Drennan asks: As a Hawks fan, I’d like to know about his relationship with Corey Crawford and how, as a veteran goaltender, has he handled this transition to a No.2 and being a mentor? I’d also like to know what he thinks about playing in Chicago (see just above for that one Joe)

Marty Turco:

Marty Turco credits Corey Crawford (pictured) for earning his success this season. (Photo by Scott Slingsby)

“The relationship with Corey has been great, and it just stems from him being a good kid and wanting to learn, and I’m sure the situation would be maybe a little bit different if he just wasn’t a good teammate, you know, and he is. He wants to be good and he wants to get better and he wants to do his part no matter what.

“And the same goes for me. I’ve been pretty steadfast in how I have approached the game and my teammates, and how I want to win, and that doesn’t change just because all of a sudden you are not playing, at least in my eyes. I’ve got to look myself in the mirror every day, there are things I expect out of myself and being a good person and teammate is high up on that list.

“He’s had a great year and I’m not taking it personally in any regard. I’d put his season, right from training camp, through every practice, right until today, up against any other goaltender in this league. He’s had that kind of consistent year that is pretty tough to find, and he’s worked for it, he’s put a lot of time in, so it’s been fun getting to know him and seeing him grow this year. And he’s got some ways to go and that’s a good thing because he’s a good kid and a good goalie.”

~InGoal reader Nick Czaplewski asks: Why have you chosen to wear Reebok Revoke Pads, and catcher and blocker? And why have you chosen to not use the one-piece catch glove, and have stuck with the traditional two piece? (Editor’s Note: Turco got the chance to work with Reebok legend Michel Lefevre one-on-one while developing Reebok’s “Turco break” pad, with the double breaks on the outer knee roll).

Marty Turco:

Chicago Blackhawks goalie Marty Turco prefers the feel of the older, two-piece cuff glove, especially when handling pucks (Scott Slingsby photo)

“I’m not a gear junkie like some guys probably, but it was pretty cool to go meet the guru of our world and you hear all the players talk about the masks and the pads and wanting to be a goalie because of it. But having him work to make a change for me, I probably didn’t respect it enough at the time, but you know the way goalies are, it was just something I thought I needed in my gear that they weren’t making any more, old-school type Reebok pads, and I wanted to wear Reebok because his craftsmanship is pretty unparalleled, so it was a pretty cool experience.

“As for the glove, I tried the one piece cuff and it’s just a personal preference. Because the cuff sticks out so far, which is great for angles, I just find it’s not as good for puck playing, the flexibility isn’t the same, and I just like the way this one fits on my hand. Call me old-school or whatever, but it’s all personal preference.”

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Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Bernier focuses a lot on stretching in season. (Tom Paille photo)

(The following article originally appeared in the InGoal Magazine newsletter on Monday. To sign up for the FREE weekly edition, and get your chance to ask NHL goalies a question, simply enter your email address in the form on the right side of this page.)

Jonathan Bernier didn’t got off to the kind of start most people, including himself, envisioned to his NHL career.

Bernier struggled going from a dominant everyday starter in the American Hockey League to a door-opening backup to Jonathan Quick in his first full season in the NHL. He only won two of his first seven starts, and four of his first 11 through early January, his goals-against average was well above three, and his save percentage below .900.

The problems, Bernier says now, were both between his ears and between the pipes.

Both appear to be solved now, as the promising 22-year-old was 6-0-3 in his last nine starts since early February, with three shutouts and a save percentage of .942 in that span. Bernier took the time to explain his early struggles to InGoal Magazine, and how he turned them around, in this week’s Ask a Pro segment:

InGoal: Was the toughest part of this season adjusting to playing so much less?

Jonathan Bernier:

Jonathan Bernier, seen here wearing a retro mask tribute to Kings' great Rogie Vachon, had to overcome some early mental hurdles this season. (InGoal Photo)

“For sure. I think mentally just trying to keep my confidence high was tough. When you don’t play as much I think that’s what the tendancy is, so after Christmas I started staying positive and I think it worked for my game obviously. I just started having fun instead of worrying in practice. Sometimes I was getting mad.

“I was so stiff in practice and then it was kind of going to my game and I’m more that guy that is calm in the net and shows that composure, so I just tried to have fun and, you know, feel comfortable in practice and I think it just translated into my game.”

InGoal: We’ve conversations with other backups, most notably Alex Auld in Montreal, about the need to adjust your approach to practice when you aren’t playing as often; that you have to recognize some drills just aren’t good for the goalie if you are trying to stop every shot, and you have to focus on not changing your approach.

Jonathan Bernier:

“Exactly. You have to learn you can’t stop everything. For me obviously if we do a 1-on-0 then I will try to stop every puck, but when it’s a 3-on-0 I will really make sure I get that wide guy. If he’s coming down and makes that back door pass, usually in a game that won’t happen, you know. So I’m just trying to be aggressive on the wide guys. That’s what my D are taught to do so that’s what I am trying to do. It has been a learning curve.

“Earlier I was worrying too much. You want to stop everything, but sometimes you just develop bad habits. So for me it was just focus on what the game would be like and then try to work on my game within that.”

InGoal: Did you have to adjust your mental preparations for the games you were playing?

Jonathan Bernier:

“Obviously when you get in a new team you always change, but I don’t do anything really special anyways. I come to the rink, drink coffee and then wait for the meeting and I go stretch for half an hour and then kind of try to get dressed really early and then talk with the boys and have some laughs. I think it just leeps me loose.

“I’m not that kind of guy with balls on the wall and that hand-eye co-ordination kind of stuff. I’m just stretching and I feel like just with my warm up on the ice I feel pretty good in the game. I’ll do a dynamic warm up with the team first – probably 10 exercises to warm you up a little bit – and then I do a static stretch on my own.”

InGoal: When we last talked before the season opener, you were playing a somewhat conservative depth, with your toes usually inside the blue ice. Are we correct in saying that has changed during the season?

Jonathan Bernier was a lot deeper when the Kings opened the season in these retro jerseys than he is now. (InGoal photo)

Jonathan Bernier:

“I think it did actually. I had to get a little bit more aggressive than I was in Manchester in the AHL. I had to be more aggressive when a guy had a really good scoring chance. Before I could probably stay deeper.

“It’s not like I am over-aggressive. I just added a few inches, maybe instead of my toes at the edge of the blue it’s going to be my heels out on top of the blue. That’s the only thing me and (Kings goalie coach) Billy (Ranford) worked on, was just getting more aggresiove on the shooters.”

InGoal: Any other differences from the AHL to NHL? Goalies often say it’s less scrambled up here?

Jonathan Bernier:

“It’s more predictable here, you can read the game much easier.”

InGoal: If you had one piece of advice for young goalies, what would it be?

Jonathan Bernier:

“I think for me even at this level, it’s have fun. Everytime I go in and enjoy playing hockey I think that’s when I play my best. I think maybe I lost that a little bit earlier this season because sometimes when you get a new team and you are stressed out a little bit I don’t think you enjoy it as much.

“So for me it was really important to have fun and I think it’s been showing.”

InGoal: What about advice for smaller goalies as a guy who is 5-foot-11 in a league increasingly being dominated by 6-foot-6 behemoths?

Jonathan Bernier:

“I’m not a big goalie in this league but I think you just got to be patient. Any goalie can make it if you have that good patience. It might be a little harder than a 6-foot-7 gialie but with good patience you can be just as big as a 6-foot-7 goalie.”

InGoal: What have you learned, if anything, from Quick, and do you try to emulate any of it?

Jonathan Bernier:

“He’s so athletic, he’s going to make that split save. He’s really flexible and he’s got great footwork. I think at first I was really watching him because he had a lot of success in this league but then after it was like ‘I’ve had success in the AHL, and I’ve got to keep working on my game,’ not really watching other goalies tendencies.”

InGoal: Fitness is obviously important for you, what is your offseason routine like, and how does it change during the season?

Jonathan Bernier:

“Offseason I work out five days a week in the gym and I do a lot of yoga. Tha’s the summer, and in the season it’s more just maintenance. We play so much, we play almost every other day so I really try to stretch a lot, that’s one thing I really try to do. It’s usually 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after practice, mostly legs, groins hips.”

InGoal: And is there a goalie coach you work with on the ice in the summers?

Jonathan Bernier:

“Marcel Marciano. He’s a great coach. I’ve been with him since I was probably 12 years old. In the summer time I work with Benoit (Allaire) a little bit too, usually a one-week training camp.”

InGoal: When people here Benoit, they think playing from the goal line out and a deeper philosophy form his work with Henrik Lundqvist in New York, which doesn’t seem to fit a smaller goalie like yourself.

Jonathan Bernier:

“He doesn’t just teach like Henrik plays. I think he adjusts and he’s really good explaining the game and he’s really passionate for the game too. He can adjust to any goalie depending on size.”

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