Pro-Reads with Freddie Andersen
RVH decisions vs holding edges against Connor McDavid
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We’ve celebrated Frederik Andersen’s sensational first season with the Carolina Hurricanes by publishing his Pro Reads after various milestones and stand-out performances, but this week’s entry comes with the hope it brings good fortune after Andersen needed help exiting a game against the Colorado Avalanche over the weekend with a lower-body injury.
So, here’s hoping for some positive news for one of our first ever Pro Reads participants, and a standout when it comes to doing these video breakdown film sessions with InGoal.
THE SCENARIO
After some breakaway breakdowns in his last entry, Andersen walks us through a 5-on-5 play in-zone that starts with point shot through traffic and ends with the NHL’s best scorer, Connor McDavid, skating onto a puck near the bottom of the left face-off circle:
With McDavid skating downhill into a sharp-angle area and the puck on his forehand, what do you make of Andersen’s decision to hold his feet on this play? As silly as it seems to ask given his skill, is McDavid even the most dangerous player in this scenario?
If it’s not McDavid, who is the biggest threat?
Is there anything about the positioning of his teammates, in particular the defense, that might give Andersen some clues about what areas are open?
A split second later, McDavid is down below the goal line and the passing option is clearer, but Andersen has already prepared for it: can you spot the how he sets himself up for the pass?
THE SAVE
Because it’s McDavid skating onto a puck, speed matters, even on an in-zone chance like this one, so let’s look at the entire sequence in real time before we get to Andersen’s breakdown.
Is there anything about McDavid’s positioning that tells you he isn’t shooting? Did you pick up on the subtle way Andersen sets himself up for McDavid’s pass to the pinching defenseman?
What did you think of Andersen coming across on his lead skate, rather than sliding?
THE PRO READ
Now let’s hear from Andersen and get his breakdown on this chance.
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- Andersen breaks down his 5-on-5 in-zone save on Connor McDavid, who skated onto a puck near the bottom of the left face-off circle with a pinching defenseman as the passing option.
- Andersen held his feet rather than committing when McDavid was driving a sharp angle on his forehand, using the defensive positioning around McDavid to identify the open passing lane before the pass was made.
- Andersen chose to come across on his lead skate rather than sliding to make the save on the pass to the pinching defenseman.
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