Jake Allen Montreal Pro-Read 1
With Jake Allen
In our first Pro-Read with Jake Allen in a Habs uniform, he talks about the importance of being comfortable working on your posts.
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We told you we had fresh Pro Reads coming featuring Jake Allen in a Montreal Canadiens uniform, and after publishing his final video breakdown session wearing a St. Louis Blues uniform earlier this week, we decided not to make you wait any longer.
So here it is, a bonus second Pro Reads this week, and Allen’s first in Bleu, Blanc et Rouge.
The Scenario
Allen is facing a power play against the Edmonton Oilers, a loaded group that includes the two highest scorers in the NHL in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, so it makes sense that Allen begins his breakdown by talking about the importance of knowing who is on the ice, where they are positioned and what hand they shoot with, not to mention individual tendencies.
He explains how he breaks that down in his Pro Reads video below, but before we get to that let’s take a closer look at the specific scenario he ends up facing on this play as the puck gets moved down to Alex Chiasson in tight, with Draisaitl loading up in the bumper position.
As Ryan Nugent-Hopkins skates to the top of the face-off circle, are there any clues to help you determine whether this will be a shot, shot-pass to Draisaitl in the slot, or pass to Chiassion?
Given all those options, what do you make of Allen’s depth? What about his choice to stay in the middle to find a sightline to Nugent-Hopkins as he loads up that stick?
Now that you know the puck is headed down Chiasson, is there anything about his positioning that tells you whether he is a threat to shoot — he scored on a sweep back to the middle against the Vancouver Canucks on a similar play this season — or predominantly a passer?
Any thoughts on Allen defaulting down to his post on that short side?
THE SAVE
Now let’s take a look at the entire sequence on video to see what happened, and whether any of it affects your opinion on the way that Allen played this power play opportunity:
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- Allen breaks down his save on an Edmonton Oilers power play in his first video review as a member of the Montreal Canadiens.
- Allen explains that reading a power play starts before the puck moves — identifying who is on the ice, their position, shooting hand, and individual tendencies to anticipate options like a shot, shot-pass to the bumper, or a low-zone pass.
- Allen describes his decision to stay central and find a sightline on Nugent-Hopkins loading up at the top of the circle, then tracking down to the post on the short side as the puck moved to Chiasson in tight.
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