Basic Stance Management Means Understanding Game Function
- Alignment is defined as the angle of the goalie's stance relative to the goal line, not the shooter.
- Use an inside-out post entry to arrive flatter to the goal line and ready for quicker subsequent movements.
- Entering the post steep and squared to the boards creates a slower secondary adjustment that NHL goalies visibly struggle with.
- Ian Clark identifies approximately 30-degree alignment as the target angle for proper stance management.
- Stance management in post situations is a positioning skill, not a save situation — recognizing that distinction changes how goalies prepare.
From the Crease, the new goalie education App from long-time NHL goaltending coach Ian Clark launches next week on March 3! You can still save 20 percent and receive a free e-book from Clark by learning more about and pre-registering for the new App here.
Part of our exciting partnership with From the Crease is additional instructional content from Clark that will run exclusive here at InGoalMag.com and today we roll out the third video from that collaboration. The first video focused on the importance of rotational accuracy in recoveries. The second focused on how goalies enter their posts, with details on an “inside-out” method that allows them to arrive with ideal alignment.
This third video focuses on managing our stance relative to the needs to the game.
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