DiPietro 2-puck Pad Extension Drill
- Keep the backside pad stable in a neutral butterfly position while the lead pad extends — letting both pads spread creates balance problems and reduces puck coverage.
- The drill trains goalies to cover pucks without lunging or overcommitting, which is critical when battling for rebounds in traffic.
- DiPietro performed this drill using two pucks in the corner during game-day skates when he didn't have access to a net, proving it requires minimal setup.
- Losing control of the back pad makes it harder to get the glove or blocker over the puck and often causes the goalie to fall forward to compensate.
- DiPietro calls the technique 'pad extensions with hand in support,' prioritizing seal and bottom-net coverage with one leg while maintaining stability with the other.
There were many great lessons from Michael DiPietro’s most recent appearance on the InGoal Radio Podcast.
Some of the best involved his mindset on and off the ice, including his approach to practice.
Not only did the Vancouver Canucks top puck-stopping prospect dish on managing drills that aren’t goalie friendly, but he also talked about making the most of each chance to get better, even when you don’t have your own net.
That was often the case this season as the Canucks taxi-squad goalie this season, and DiPietro recently reviewed video of a three-puck retention drill he worked on in the corner during one such moment this season.
To celebrate his return to the InGoal Radio Podcast, we figured it was time to share another. This time it’s a two-puck extension drill he did while Thatcher Demko and Braden Holtby were minding the nets during a game-day skate:
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