Thatcher Demko ProRead 4
With Thatcher Demko
Landmarks and Execution Keys to Reverse off Rush
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Thatcher Demko is back as the Vancouver Canucks No. 1, going 4-1-0 with an impressive .928 save percentage while starting five of six games since returning from a groin injury that kept him out almost three months. So, it only made sense to go back to him for Pro Reads too.
Demko has been just as good in his first three Pro Reads explaining how he sees the game and chooses his depth, save selections and post integrations based on a variety of factors.
THE SEQUENCE
This chance against the Minnesota Wild starts as a 2-on-2 rush coming into the zone:
What factors are you looking for in the freeze frame above when reading this rush?
Is there anything about the way his defense is managing this chance that factors in?
What do you make of Demko’s depth and stance as the attack unfolds?
Barely one second later, and things have changed dramatically. As the play moves closer to bottom of the faceoff circle and Demko loads into a reverse, what are you looking for from the attacking players? Are you thinking shot or pass here? Any thoughts on Demko’s post load?
THE SAVE
Speed matters here, so watch the entire sequence below and ask the same questions:
We’re not sure whether you predicted shot or pass before watching that, but what did you make of how Demko handled that scoring chance? Was there anything about the way Kevin Fiala, since traded to Los Angeles, moved off the rush that tipped off a pass was coming?
Were you critical of the decision to use reverse on a rush chance above the goal line? If so, can you see why that choice — and the manner in which he executed it — became the right one?
THE PRO READ
Let’s hear how Demko initially read the threats, and what he thought of how he handled this:
Watch Thatcher Demko break down the full video for you
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- Demko breaks down his save on a 2-on-2 rush against the Minnesota Wild, where Kevin Fiala's movement off the rush triggered a reverse post read.
- Demko explains that when Fiala entered the blueline, he read it as a 1-on-1 shooting situation, which shaped how he managed his depth and threat priority throughout the sequence.
- Demko details why loading into a reverse above the goal line — a choice some goalies might question on a rush — was justified by how he executed the load and tracked the developing pass threat.
More Thatcher Demko on InGoal
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Demko predicted his pro path at age 13
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