Devan Dubnyk Pro-Read #1 – Poke Check 101
Diving into the lost art of poke checks
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Perform an internet search for “Devan Dubnyk” and “poke check” and you have immediate access to a long online list of highlight reel videos featuring the current San Sharks goaltender launching his massive 6-foot-6 frame stick first at opposing forwards.
The headlines on these videos include words like “classic” and “diving,” “daring” and “terrific,” so we figured what better way to welcome Dubnyk into the world of Pro Reads then by having him attach his own descriptions – and more importantly, keys – to these poke check saves.
As you’re about to discover in these lengthy video sessions, Dubnyk is an insightful student of the position and willing to share his thoughts on how it’s played pretty openly. He went so deep on the poke checks alone, talking about both the best scenarios to try it as well as the keys to doing it right, that we’re going to split this into two segments with two saves in each.
So, pardoning the pun, let’s dive into the lost art of poke checks with Dubnyk.
The Scenario and Save
We’re going to kick it off with a couple from Dubnyk’s time with his last team, the Minnesota Wild, and might as well start with a stop against his first team, the Edmonton Oilers.
As you watch this breakaway by former Oilers forward Ty Rattie, see if you can identify any of the keys that might lead Dubnyk to try his lunging poke check in this situation:
Watch Devan Dubnyk break down the full video for you
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- Dubnyk breaks down his lunging poke check on a breakaway by Ty Rattie, a stop from his time with the Minnesota Wild against his former team, the Edmonton Oilers.
- Dubnyk identifies a shooter able to quickly move the puck to their forehand as a situation where he would normally avoid the poke check, making this save an exception.
- Dubnyk outlines the specific decision factors he weighs before attempting a poke check and the execution keys required to make it work at the NHL level.
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