Best Goalie Style in Inline/roller hockey?

[Tekkaman]

Just wanted to see what all other goalies think is the best style off ice is? I personally think hybrid with more standup, is the best for roller. I believe this, due to the fact that sliding is out of the question. Except when i saw Burke attached some sort of plastic insert onto his pads. He had some sliding abilities, but for the most part, sliding and moving side to side is much harder in roller.

[whalercane]

Just wanted to see what all other goalies think is the best style off ice is? I personally think hybrid with more standup, is the best for roller. I believe this, due to the fact that sliding is out of the question. Except when i saw Burke attached some sort of plastic insert onto his pads. He had some sliding abilities, but for the most part, sliding and moving side to side is much harder in roller.

As an ice goalie coach and roller/ice goalie myself, I am one of those people who feel it's inaccurate or at least "incomplete" to classify a goalie as a "certain style", i.e. Bfly, Hybrid, Standup, etc. In other words, at different times during any given game (let's say) a goalie may need to butterfly to make a save, then do a two-pad stack to stop a rebound, or a split-kick save to stop another shot.

My point is that all these things are different types of "techniques" that any goalie might employee during the course of any game, so to say that you're a butterfly goalie or a stand-up goalie would be selling yourself short- to be truly good at what you do, you have to let the circumstance dictate the technique you employee to stop any given shot at a given time.

Sorry to wax philosophically (if I'm coming off that way) but I think most goalies would agree with the concept I just laid out. I really hate it when I hear parents says "yea, my boy's more of a stand-up goalie...". Right away I think to myself: "oh, man...here we go again :p". lol

As for sliding, you're partially right about it being difficult to move laterally as a roller goalie because no matter what you do in roller hockey, you absolutely cannot slide to the same degree with the same amount of body control as you can on ice- there's just too much friction. However, some goalies over the last couple of years have developed mechanisms called "slide-plates" which they mount to their calf wings/side gussets and inner toe box of the pads (usually made of plastic but I've even seen some made of felt that appear to work to a degree).

I'm sure some of the goalies on this board who use slide-plates would be glad to share pics with you if you're interested in learning more. I've never personally been one to mod my leg pads to that degree because I only play roller once or twice a week so it's not worth the hassle to me to build and then install the plates.

I don't know how well I've addressed your point(s), but that's my $.02 for what they're worth :D

-Ryan

[imasieve30]

I can personally attest to the fact that playing roller hockey first growing up probably has improved my ability to be reasonably good on ice as well instead of vice versa.

I agree with whalercrane in that I'm not sure any certain style works.
If I had to pick a style of goaltending on ice or roller, I would choose hybrid.
Too many young goalies are taught to play a butterfly blocking style.
While it may statistically give them an advantage, as you grow older and play better and smarter players, you become the worst thing a goalie can become. Predictable.

Roller hockey has taught me to stay on my feet as long as possible but I don't consider myself a stand up goalie....the speed of the shots most players are capable of with a lighter puck has taught me to drop and take up space but I don't consider myself butterfly.

A good goaltender needs to be able to make multiple choices on his save selection. Some situations will call for covering as much net as possible and to block the puck while others will call for the ability to react to the shot and not allow a rebound.

I admire both Brodeur and Luongo (not bad choices huh?;)) because I once read that Brodeur never makes the same save on any given shot. If a forward comes down the wing and tries to beat him far side, he may stand up and catch it or he may butterfly and deflect it away. Luongo on the other hand is a mostly butterfly goalie but he has great read/reaction skills. It also doesn't hurt that he is a big guy.

As a goalie, I don't think you should ever settle for being comfortable with one style of play. It may be your bread and butter save selection, but you should always be looking for ways to improve yourself.

-Joe

[Tekkaman]

Thanks guys, those where great posts. I just started this thread, just to talk about goaltending on the inline level. You two have just put two great post and i hope other goalies post their opinions here too. Also I agree that you really can't be one style, had to put up some kind of a title.:)