Cam Talbot Pro Reads 7
With Cam Talbot
What’s a ‘Spread’ and When Should Goalies Use It?
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THE SEQUENCE
This is a clear cut 2-on-1 entering the Detroit zone, with Jordan Kyrou carrying the puck in and Robert Thomas, a right shot, as his passing option:
Looking at the freeze frame as the play hits the top of the face-off circles (above), what stands out to you as a goalie? First off, what is the most important information do you need to know about the two players involved in this odd-man rush?
How does handedness affect how you might play this from a depth standpoint?
Given that information, what do you make of Talbot’s positioning above?
Are you taking more less or less ice than Talbot has above? Why?
Are you thinking pass or shot at this point?
Slide or skate if it is a pass?
THE SAVE
Because this is a rush chance, speed matters, so watch the play and ask yourself the same questions, especially when it comes to choosing depth:
Were you surprised by the pass, or did you expect it?
Now that you know it’s a pass, would you have chosen a different depth?
Do you think Talbot would agree? What did you notice about his back flow?
Lastly, do you have any thoughts on how he comes across on this?
Can you think of any reason he might pitch forward a bit as he comes across?
THE PRO READ
Now let’s hear from Talbot as he shares his thoughts on this 2-on-1:
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- Cam Talbot breaks down his save on a 2-on-1 rush against Detroit, where Jordan Kyrou carried the puck with Robert Thomas as the passing option.
- Talbot factored in shooter handedness and individual tendencies before the rush hit the zone — knowing Kyrou is primarily a shooter, he took more ice than he would against a known passer.
- Talbot acknowledges he was approximately a foot higher than ideal for the pass, a direct result of weighting Kyrou's shooting tendency over his passing ability on that play.
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