Goaltending Drill #5: Goalie Numbers (“Shot Patterns”) Drill
INTERMEDIATE
- Have between 1 and 5 players/coaches (primarily 1-2 coaches) standing at one or more of the standard offensive positions.
- If less than 5 players/coaches are in the drill, a coach or player may call out the number (see diagram) of the position where the player is missing and the goalie must re-position ("square up") to that number as if there was an imaginary player there. If only 1 or 2 coaches are leading the drill, multiple different numbers may be called, including that of the coach, who usually concludes with a shot after no more than 5 goalie movements.
- Variation #1 (5 min): "1-2/2-1" & "4-5/5-4." One coach or player in the drill starts with the ball at either the crease (Variation #1A) or shooter position (Variation #1B). This coach calls out a variety of numbers and the goalie re-positions to those numbers, or follows the ball if there are 5 shooters, ultimately finishing with an adjacent shot (1-2 + 5-4) or finishing at the crease (2-1 + 4-5).
- Variation #2 (5 min): "4-2/2-4." One coach or player in the drill starts with the ball at one shooter position or the other. The coach calls out a variety of numbers and the goalie re-positions to those numbers, or follows the ball if there are 5 shooters, ultimately finishing with a "swing pass" into a set-shot (4-2 or 2-4).
Variation #3 (5 min): "1-4/4-1" & "2-5/5-2." One coach or player in the drill starts with the ball at either the shooter (Variation #3A) or crease position (Variation #3B). The coach calls out a variety of numbers and the goalie re-positions to those numbers, or follows the ball if there are 5 shooters, ultimately finishing with a skip pass into a set-shot (1-4 + 5-2) or finish (possible quick stick) at the crease (4-1 + 2-5).
Variation #4 (5 min): "Random." Similar to the variations above except coaches and/or players force goalies to re-position in no set-order (with no set number patterns), with coaches/players able to shoot at any time; forcing goalies to work on reactions and sustained concentration.

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