GoalieU: Read & React with Rick Wamsley
- Assess how open the pass option is before deciding whether to hold your depth or sink back toward the net.
- Factor in what your defenseman is taking away — their positioning directly influences whether a pass is a real threat.
- If the pass option is poor, hold your depth to challenge the puck carrier rather than surrendering ground unnecessarily.
- Rick Wamsley's 'Rick-isms' frame rush reads as anticipation work, not reaction — know the 'why' before the play develops.
- Jackson Parsons' game film illustrates how entry rush reads translate from junior hockey to the pro level, where Parsons was signed by the Ottawa Senators as an undrafted free agent.
Rick Wamsley spent 13 seasons stopping pucks in the NHL and another 15 as an NHL goalie coach, so he knows the game and the position
In this new InGoal series, Wamsley takes us inside his process for reading the game and making decisions under pressure. Each episode is based off the daily video work Wamsley does at GoalieU, breaking down a real game clip to help you see what the goalie sees – and understand the “why” behind each choice they make. The series will run weekly as he works through the 10 most common ways goals are scored, before shifting to a monthly format.
THIS WEEK: ENTRY RUSH READS
Today’s breakdown features Kitchener Rangers goalie Jackson Parsons, who was signed by the Ottawa Senators as an undrafted free agent on July 2. The focus: how to read a two-man rush entry so you can make the right “hold versus sink” depth decisions.
🎥 Watch the full breakdown:
About Rick’s Read & React
Each month, Wamsley will dissect a different game situation – from rush chances to net-front battles – showing how elite goalies process the game in real time. Think of it as a “film room” for your goalie IQ. As Wamsley explained on a recent episode of the InGoal Radio Podcast, his approach was influenced by a visit to Europe as part of group of Hockey Canada goalie coaches and learning how Finland broke down the 10 most common ways to score. His analysis is anchored in that philosophy, and how goalies can counter each.
Want More from Rick?
Wamsley’s GoalieU program offers a new video breakdown like this one every single day – 365 days of situational reads, technical tips, and what he calls “Rick-isms” to help you think (and stop pucks) like a pro. InGoal readers can save $50 on an annual GoalieU membership join InGoal Today to reveal the checkout code!
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