Alex Nedeljkovic ProRead 4
With Alex Nedeljkovic
Keys to a desperation save
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Alex Nedeljkovic is well into his first season with the Detroit Red Wings and apparently getting comfortable behind a new team and system, with a save percentage above .930 in four of his past six starts. The plan is to catch up with the goalie affectionately known as Ned when the Wings come to Vancouver later this season but in the meantime, we don’t want to waste any of his insights from a lengthy video review session last summer, even if that means revisiting some saves while still with the Carolina Hurricanes.
THE SCENARIO
This save involves more of a broken-play scramble after Nedeljkovic reached up for a high point shot that was deflected down off the hip and the loose puck bounced straight to an opponent:
While there isn’t a lot of “read” involved in terms of passing or shooting, believe it or not there are some important principles at play when it comes to desperation saves. So, before we get them from Nedeljkovic himself below, take a look at the freeze frame above and see if you can list any keys you’d be relying on in terms of how you recover from this situation.
THE SAVE
Now take a look at the entire sequence to see if they matched how Nedeljkovic handled it.
It’s tempting to see it as a purely reactive save, but are there any elements of how Nedeljkovic handled it that stand out to you? We’ll give you a hint: He identified one of them in his second Pro Reads emphasizing the prioritizing angle on any lateral movement, even desperate ones.
THE PRO READ
Now let’s hear Nedeljkovic explain some of his keys to an otherwise desperation save:
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- Nedeljkovic breaks down his desperation save on a broken-play scramble after a deflected point shot bounced directly to an opposing player while with the Carolina Hurricanes.
- Even in reactive, scramble situations, Nedeljkovic prioritizes re-establishing angle back to the post on any lateral push rather than making a purely instinctive move.
- Nedeljkovic emphasizes getting middle coverage because understanding shooter mindset reveals the middle as the easiest and most likely target in tight desperation moments.
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