Jake Allen Pro Read 6: Odd Man Rush vs. Patrick Kane
Good reads and holding edges helps Condon stop in tight 2 on 0
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We can’t wait to see Jake Allen playing for the Montreal Canadiens and with reports the NHL will drop the puck on Jan. 13, we might not have to wait much longer. But that doesn’t mean we’re going to waste the tips Allen shared with us during his time with the St. Louis Blues.
Allen’s insights into the position are too valuable to discard, even if they come while wearing an outdated uniform, so we’ll continue with his sixth entry into the Pro Reads library.
The Chicago Blackhawks have featured prominently as an opponent in Allen’s Pro Reads, and that continues today with an odd-man rush against his Central Division-rival Blues.
The Scenario
This 3-on-2 rush includes some guy named Patrick Kane coming over the blue line high as the trailing forward. As we take a look at a freeze frame below, what information can you gather from the attacking forwards that might help determine how you would play this chance?
Those of you who already read and remember Allen’s second Pro Reads, which involved staring down Kane from the faceoff circle, already know the fact that it’s Kane, a player Allen has faced so many times over the years in this rivalry, is an important factor in this equation.
In addition to the attacking players, is there anything you noticed about Allen’s teammates (No. 18 is forward Robert Thomas and 55 is defenseman Colton Parayko) that might affect how you would play this chance? Any thoughts on where Allen is set up as this puck enters the zone?
THE SAVE
Now let’s take a look at the entire sequence on video.
The first thing that jumps out about that save is Allen’s incredible patience holding his edges.
Could you see anything about the way Kane was positioned or skating that tipped you off he wasn’t going to shoot, or even wrap this puck around behind the net instead?
The Pro-Read
Now let’s listen to Allen break down the video for us. As usual, it’s loaded with multiple factors that went into his save selection. See how many of his matched the cues you picked up.
Watch Jake Allen break down the full video for you
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- Jake Allen breaks down his save on a 3-on-2 rush against the Chicago Blackhawks, with Patrick Kane entering the zone high as the trailing forward.
- Allen identifies Kane's positioning and skating as readable cues that he was not going to shoot or wrap the puck, which informed Allen's decision to hold his edges and wait.
- Years of facing Kane in Central Division play gave Allen a familiarity advantage — knowing your opponent's tendencies is a legitimate factor in goaltender save selection.
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