Freddie Andersen Pro-Read 5: Puck lost in gear leads to unlikely save position
Leafs Andersen brings us the fifth in a series of Pro-Reads, this one from an unusual position!
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Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen returns for his fifth installment of Pro Reads, which begins with him breaking down a shoot-or-pass decision from the middle of the ice, continues with a loose-puck scramble and ends with a nice glove save from his posterior.
The Scenario
We’ll start with the initial play that leads to the scramble, with Red Wings 2020 All Star forward skating downhill through the middle of the ice with the puck loaded up on his stick, a clear path to the high slot, and a passing option closing on the face-off circle to his left.
Taking a look at the situation in the freeze frame photo above, do you think Bertuzzi is likely to shoot or pass? And what do you make of Andersen’s depth choice given that answer?
The Save
Now let’s look at the entire save sequence, including the ensuing scramble and glove save.
The first is a situation every goalie can relate to: that helpless feeling when you make a save but aren’t sure where the puck ended up, and know reacting too actively or panicked could result in you accidentally propelling it into your own net. So, as much as it may look like a desperation scramble, see if you can spot anything specific in the way Andersen handles it?
Did you notice anything? Now let’s listen to Andersen describe the entire sequence, his reads on the original play, and what he looked and listened for in the scramble:
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- Andersen breaks down a scramble save against Detroit's Tyler Bertuzzi, beginning with his read on a shoot-or-pass decision from the high slot.
- When the puck is lost in gear during a scramble, Andersen explains looking first before reaching back with the stick and relying on communication from his defensemen rather than reacting blindly.
- To avoid accidentally knocking a hidden puck into the net, Andersen sweeps his stick over the ice — not along it — when sealing the post during the scramble.
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