Thatcher Demko ProRead 12
With Thatcher Demko
Looking for Shot-or-Deke Breakaways Clues
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Thatcher Demko may currently be out of the Vancouver Canucks lineup with an injury but he’ll be back for the playoffs, a berth he was a big part of securing, and remains a Vezina Trophy candidate. He’s also already well established as a Pro Reads favourite for his first 11 appearances in this format so how openly he shared and explains how he sees the game and chooses depth, save selections and post integrations based on a variety of factors.
The Vancouver Canucks No. 1 has also done a great job explaining his technical foundations within these breakdowns, and that continues with another look at reading breakaways.
THE SEQUENCE
This is the second straight breakaway breakdown by Demko, so it might be constructive to review his last Pro Reads, which also dealt with a 1-on-1 showdown and is referenced again by the Canucks goalie in this breakaway review against the Philadelphia Flyers:
Looking at that freeze frame, can you identify any clues that might hint at shot or deke?
What stands out about Demko’s depth relative to the attacking player here?
THE SAVE
Of course, speed is such a crucial part of any one-on-one chance, so watch the replay and see if you can identify what is coming – and why – before the player makes his move (or shot):
Watching that breakaway, what do you make of Demko’s depth and speed decisions?
Were you able to predict what was coming before it did?
If so, what factors tipped you off?
THE PRO READ
Now let’s hear how Demko saw and anticipated this specific breakaway chance:
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- Demko breaks down his breakaway save against the Philadelphia Flyers, walking through his depth choices and how he anticipated the shooter's decision.
- Demko identified his own defender's positioning — not the shooter's body language — as the primary cue that eliminated the shot option early in the sequence.
- Because the defender was closing on the shooter's forehand, Demko could narrow his read and commit to defending the deke before the attacker made his move.
More Thatcher Demko on InGoal
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