Curtis McElhinney ProRead 3
With Curtis McElhinney
Breakaway with speed and a challenging cutback.
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Curtis McElhinney retired this season after a 16-years NHL career that ended with back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships with the Tampa Bay Lightning, and has quickly transitioned into a coaching role, which makes him the perfect candidate for Pro Reads.
That fit was immediately evident in a Pro Reads debut that featured a shorthanded 3-on-1, and in the follow up breaking down a screen shot that created a desperation save situation. It’s no surprise McElhinney is good in the Pro Reads environment because he has been coaching online since retirement, with programs that include video reviews, mentorship and Goalie IQ Zoom sessions breaking down his puck-stopping peers, all through Mountain High Hockey.
THE SCENARIO
McElhinney’s third Pro Reads features insights into how to manage a breakaway after going 1-on-1 against skilled Florida Panthers speedster Anthony Duclair:
As Duclair gains the offensive zone with a step on the Lightning defense (above), what are the primary factors McElhinney needs to consider when assessing this threat?
With Duclair closing in, what are you looking for in terms of his body and hand positioning?
We’d normally ask what you make of McElhinney’s positioning, and how much it changes between the screenshots but as we’ve established in past breakaway breakdowns, speed matters, at least in terms of depth. That said, does anything about the way that McElhinney has set his angle relative to Duclair’s attack position that stands out in the second image?
THE SAVE
Now let’s look at the entire sequence in real time to get a handle on the depth decisions.
Seeing it in real time, what did you make of McElhinney’s depth management? Any thoughts on McElhinney appearing to overplay the short-side a bit as Duclair hits the hash marks?
THE PRO READ
Let’s check in with McElhinney for his full explanation and breakdown:
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- Curtis McElhinney breaks down his 1-on-1 breakaway save against Florida Panthers forward Anthony Duclair during his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
- McElhinney frames breakaway decisions around 'risk management,' weighing how aggressively to challenge based on the attacker's speed and positioning at the hash marks.
- Speed is a primary factor in depth decisions on breakaways — McElhinney explains why a faster attacker changes how far a goalie can afford to push out in the rush.
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