Matt Murray ProRead 8
With Matt Murray
Reading the Pass on a 2-on-1 Down Low vs. Boston
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Matt Murray re-signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs after battling back from hip surgery that kept him out almost all of last season, and while the veteran two-time Stanley Cup winner seems destined to start this comeback in the AHL, it would be foolish to bet against him playing in the NHL again. Anyone who listened to Murray past Pro Reads might bet on it being sooner rather than later too because they’ve gotten a glimpse into how well Murray sees and processes the game, and how much that will help once his body functions properly again.
With that in mind, it felt like a good time to get more of those excellent insights from Murray, who told in his debut that processing the game has been a big part of his success to date.
“I see my game as one where my athleticism is not necessarily my strongest suit, so these reads are kind of the equalizer for a guy like me,” Murray said during his hour-long film session with InGoal. “I’ve for the size and I’ve got the brain for it — I read the play well — but there are a lot of guys in the League that are a lot more athletic than I am and it’s a good lesson for young goalies that there are other equalizers, you don’t always have to be just the best athlete. Being good with these types of reads and little technical details can really help your game.”
Murray has been exceptional in this format after that extended sit-down last summer, starting with a master class on managing screens in his debut before moving onto deflections, net play, post integration and managing a multiple-stance system.
THE SEQUENCE
This time Murray is facing an entry against the Boston Bruins that turns into a 2-on-1 down low:
With the puck being passed off the right boards, high in the zone, into the middle in the freeze frame above, what information are you already looking for as a goalie in terms of what is most likely to happen next? How do you think that affects Murray’s depth selection here?
What do you make of that depth? Would you handle it any different? Why?
The second freeze frame gives away the fact Charlie Coyle didn’t skate into a one-timer of that cross-ice pass in the first image, but as he collects that puck onto his backhand above, what are you looking for in terms of whether he’s shooting or passing across to Brad Marchand?
Is it simply the fact you know Marchand is open? What other factors matter?
What do you make of Murray not squaring up to Coyle here?
THE SAVE
Of course, speed matters on a rush, so watch this one to see if you can pick out the clues on whether Coyle is passing or shooting. More importantly, when do you know? And why?
With all those replays, how soon did you read that Coyle was passing? Were you able to spot the reasons it seemed to clear to Murray (hence not squaring up) beyond the fact he was on his backhand? What about the save execution itself? Just desperation, or was there a key to it?
THE PRO READ
Now, let’s hear how Murray break it down and share when and why he anticipated that pass.
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- Murray breaks down his save on a 2-on-1 down low against the Boston Bruins, beginning with a high-zone pass off the right boards into the middle.
- Murray identifies depth selection as a key decision point when the puck moves from the perimeter into the slot, requiring the goalie to read what is most likely to happen next.
- Murray explains that superior game-reading and technical detail — not athleticism — has been the primary equalizer throughout his NHL career, a lesson he applies directly to managing this down-low situation.
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