2024-04-21 20:37:48
A goalkeeper’s day is different from normal players
Undoubtedly, the most noticeable position in hockey is the goalie. Not only do they have standout outfits, but every moment they play can make or break their team, and as a result, every move can determine the final outcome of a match.
However, the role and role of even two players in this position on the team are significantly different. If the main goalkeeper has to cope with the pressure and prepare for the match as much as possible, then the second goalkeeper devotes his energy to supporting his teammates. His whole day can differ from the position he takes.
“Goalkeeper’s day depends on what position you play. If you find out that you will be the main goalkeeper, then you try to do everything to prepare for the match as much as possible. But if you find out that you will be on the bench that day, you try to pay attention to your teammates and support them as much as possible. Goalkeepers are delicate people for whom every detail is very important. We all have our own rituals that help us prepare for the match,” said Arkadijus Grigaravičius-Reyzinas about the differences between the two goalkeeper positions.
If you arrive at the arena earlier, you might notice that the goalies waiting to start start their preparations earlier than the other hockey players. Unlike field players, their warm-up includes specific exercises.
“I start preparing for the match in the morning: I try to use the phone less and not strain my eyes so that they are maximally ready for the competition. During the day, it is important to relax and clear yourself of unnecessary thoughts. I try to be the first to arrive at the arena and the goalkeepers are almost always the first to start the warm-up. The most important things for us are mobility and activation exercises, we work with tennis balls, we do eye exercises.”
The ice hockey player playing in Sweden admits that he often does not communicate with his teammates while preparing for the start, focusing all his attention on the upcoming match. Once the match has started, from the first moment to the last moment, the most important thing for the goalkeepers is to maintain concentration every moment and observe every moment of the game. It’s even harder to do when the action is on the other side of the field.
If the work of the main goalkeeper is clearly visible to everyone in the arena, then the backup goalkeeper can be overlooked. However, he also has his role.
“Being a reserve goalkeeper, you can afford to relax a bit: however, if you aim for maximum concentration for every match, you can simply burn out, so you need to be able to look at the match from a different perspective. During the day, you try to encourage your teammates, support them, be positive and create a good atmosphere. The reserve goalkeeper also has his functions during the match: he has to keep a close eye on which player is substituting and when, because he opens the gate to allow substitutions as soon as possible. It’s true, you don’t need to do that in the national team, so you can enjoy and admire the game, supporting your teammates”, said A. Grigaravičius-Reyzinas about the position of the second goalkeeper.
The modern defender has to do more than just defend
Defenders often get less attention than their offensive counterparts. However, their role is extremely important, and without good defenders it is very difficult to expect victories. Kostas Gusev, a member of the national team, says that the most important thing for the defenders is to make life as difficult as possible for the opponents.
“First of all, the defender on the pitch should make it as difficult as possible for the opponents to shoot and create chances at our goal. Another important point: defenders must take the puck away as quickly as possible and start the attack as soon as possible, entering the opponents’ zone. A defenseman is primarily a person who tries to block as many pucks as possible in his zone, to win as many duels at the rim as possible when the opponents have the puck. Then you need to work a lot with the stick and prevent the opponents from creating”, said the representative of “Kaunas City”.
If previously all the attention of defenders was focused on defense, in modern hockey they also play an important role in attacking the opponent’s goal. K. Gusev himself repeatedly finds himself at the opponent’s goal, who reveals that improvisation in the attack is also necessary for the defenders.
“Having the puck, you must first make an accurate pass to your teammates who are skating forward. The easier and faster this is done, the sooner you are in the attacking zone and can prepare your attacks. In the offensive zone, all 5 players can, and I would even say must, improvise how to score a goal. Although defensemen are usually closer to their own goal at the blue line, in modern hockey a defenseman can be both at the goal and on the opponent’s sideboard when his position is protected by a forward.
Defenders also have important tasks when playing in the majority and in the minority. It is their play that often determines what result a team with a player advantage or deficit will achieve.
“Most of the time we see one defender playing in the majority now. He conducts the beginning of the attack, it is very important for him to lead his teammates into the opponent’s zone. When deployed, the defender usually stands in the so-called “on top” position: a point from which he can launch a long shot with one touch. Meanwhile, in the minority, the most important task for defenders is to block as many shots as possible, to throw the puck out of their zone as quickly as possible. The faster you do it, the harder it is for the opposition – successful defenders can make it difficult for opponents to enter the zone and burn a lot of time.”
The tasks of the three strikers are different
Although we see three forwards on the ice in a 5v5 format, they all have different roles. One of the most versatile strikers of the national team, Ugnius Čižas, who successfully plays both in the center and on the wings, reveals that each player has a corresponding role.
“When you play in the center you are really like the brains of the five, you have to help the defenders in defense and you are also usually the first of the forwards to return to their own zone from the attacking zone. Also, through the center, exits from their own zone are usually carried out, they have to fight for puck drops and usually organize a five-point plan after winning/losing a drop. Wingers are more often focused on playing in attack, and spend most of their time only on the left or right side of the field, in contrast to the center, which works across the entire field and does a little more work than the wing”, said the assistant captain of the national team about the differences in positions.
In the national team, U. Čižu has recently been entrusted by the coaches with the position of the first center forward. The player himself admits that playing in this position requires a good understanding of hockey, because he must always take the right position on the court, thinking both about defense and about attack.
“He’s really a center and he’s a center because he has a good understanding of attack and defense. So, when returning to your own zone, the optimal thing is for the center to be the third player with the defenders in the corners or in front of the goal, otherwise you need to look for an opportunity for the center to exchange with the wing, if he returns to the defense first.”
What things should spectators pay attention to when watching strikers play? U. Čižas singles out the speed of wing players and the game creation of center forwards.
“I would advise you to pay attention to the speed of the wing forwards, as well as how the center forwards distribute the puck to the five friends. If you had to compare ice hockey with Lithuanians’ favorite basketball, then the center in ice hockey would be the equivalent of a player in basketball.”
You can watch how players of all positions look on the ice at the highest level of hockey. From April 27 to May 3, Vilnius will be rocked by the “2024 IIHF World Ice Hockey Championship Division I, Group B” battles.
2024-04-21 20:37:48