Devin Cooley Pro Read 2
Odd-Man Rush Reads and Back-of-Net Post Management
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Devin Cooley made a great first impression on the InGoal Radio Podcast shortly after his first season in the NHL ended with the San Jose Sharks, then followed it up with an excellent Pro Reads debut, as well as a great Pro Tips on using your head to take away space in the RVH.
Now, on the eve of potentially becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1, we figured it was a good time to go back to the late-blooming Cooley for another Pro Reads segment.
THE SEQUENCE
For the second straight time, Cooley is facing a rush chance in his NHL debut against the Chicago Blackhawks, but this time it’s more of a clear-cut 2-on-1 by the time they hit the blue line:
Cooley isn’t in the picture yet, but as you’ll hear in his Pro Reads video session below, he’s already assessed the situation. What information do you think he was looking for?
Given we already see one pass being made, what would you expect of him in terms of stance and positioning at this point in the sequence? More importantly, why?
THE SAVE
Because this is a rush chance, pace is often a factor, so rather than sharing more freeze frames, let’s go to the video of the save sequence. Ask yourself the same questions as you watch it.
Beyond the initial pass and shot, was there anything that stood out about the way Cooley played the secondary chances, especially after the puck ends up going behind the net?
It’s almost like getting a bonus scenario once that rebound goes below the goal line but rather than starting from scratch with more freeze frames, just watch the replay again and ask yourself why using a double-seal, or double-RVH as Cooley calls it below, might be the right play?
THE PRO READ
Now let’s hear from Cooley on what he saw off the rush, what he liked — and to some degree disliked — about how he managed it, and his through process on how it played out after:
Watch Devin Cooley break down the full video for you
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- Cooley breaks down his 2-on-1 save against the Chicago Blackhawks from his NHL debut, walking through his reads, stance, and positioning as the rush developed.
- On a 2-on-1, Cooley emphasizes identifying the play early and knowing the tendencies of the shooters before the puck is even passed.
- After the initial save sent the puck behind the net, Cooley explains why transitioning to a double-RVH (double-seal) was the right call to protect the post and deny a wraparound or backdoor chance.
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