As is the inspiration behind most of the articles presented on this website, I have learned something about myself and the goaltender position that I wish to pass on to other so we all can learn. It is the reason I started coaching younger players, and is now the reason why I run my own goalie camps.

We recently had a game vs. the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. They are not the best team in the league. In fact, they had lost to Springfield the night before, a team we have not lost to all year and is at the bottom of our division. The Sound Tigers are in danger of missing the playoffs and don't have a lot to lose. I should also mention that their failures this year have not been because of the lack of talent. They have two great goalies and some dangerous forwards. They just haven't been able to put together a solid season.

The game started with the usual excitement with both teams feeling out the opponent. However, it didn't take long for me to figure out I was going to be busy early. After the first period, we found ourselves severely out shot, but ahead on the scoreboard 1-0. I felt I had played the first period well, but knew we were having a tough time. My feelings had been confirmed when our coach came in the locker room in our first intermission and made mention how we weren't playing that well besides our goaltending. Goalies always appreciate praise from the coaches no matter how or when it comes across.

As the second period progessed, I found myself in much the same situation as the first. We still weren't playing that well, but we managed to finish out the period ahead 3-1. The one goal the Sound Tigers scored was a powerplay goal on a screen/tip situation. I had trouble finding the puck leave the shooters stick and couldn't recover to make the save. My second intermission evaluation had me concentrating still on how well I was playing, and how I wanted to continue through the third period. Still I couldn't help but think that we needed to pick things up in the third if we were going to hold our 3-1 lead for a win.

As we started the third period, I found myself battling my mental wits. I wasn't letting go of our little failures. The Sound Tigers scored to come within one goal on an odd-man rush where their player was able to walk in a few steps and let a hard slapper go from just inside the top of the circle over my glove. My defenseman, Joe Rullier, still thinks he redirected the puck over my glove in an effort to block the shot. It may be his way of trying to ease my disappointment in the play, but I'm not convinced he touched it. The guy had plenty of time to pick his spot, wind-up, and let it go.

Bridgeport was inching closer and closer to tying the game up, and I was gradually getting more annoyed. We had the chance to go on a power play if were not for our need to "get even." We ended up getting a penalty ourselves and played 4-on-4. This combined with a number of other little things compounded throughout the game contributed to my mental change. The start of the game had me thinking with a clean slate. It was my job to stop the puck and nothing else. In the third period, I was no longer thinking of my individual job. I was thinking about how everyone else needs to pick up the slack because I can't stop 20 shots every period. The focus had changed from me helping my team win, to the team needs to help me if we're going to win.

This is a great lesson for any aspiring goalies out there. I am regretful that my team had to go through this in order for me to learn this (We lost 4-3 in overtime). But, it's a lesson well-learned. We as goalies cannot be emotional. We have to be numb to our surroundings if we want to be great. I think I was good in that game, but I wasn't great. A great goalie would never had the negative thoughts toward the team. The only thing on a great goalies mind is stopping the next puck. Andy Nowicki, goalie coach for the L.A. Kings, describes great goalies as having an "icy-cool personna." Meaning, you can't read from body language whether or not the goalie is mad, sad, glad, or what. The great goalies simply stop the puck, and nothing more. They don't let emotions cloud their mind when they are trying to focus on the task at hand.

I am learning and I hope you will too.