Communication between goalie and defense is very important during a game. Goalie should have a good peripheral vision and should be able to coordinate the teammates during the play in the defensive zone. Goalies and defense men should have simple communication “cues” that can be clearly understood during the game. It is a good habit to set these calls at the beginning of the season and use it during practices. Goalie-defense communication should start at the peewee level and be fully developed during the bantam years. Be consistent with your calls and adapt to a different language if you play abroad.
Few basic calls:
“Two” – two on one situation, which signals to D man to take the pass
“One” – one on one, D man can take the shooter
“Time” – nobody behind, you have time to set up
“Man on” – opponent behind
“DDD” – quick D to D pass
Coaching tip: Goalie should learn and observe, which D man is left or right handed so he can set up the puck behind the net proper way.
