What is considered having a good game? Two games against previous years champs!

[@GoProGoalieUzi]

Great job! For me I always like playing against the best teams/players. It makes you better and mentally strong as well. Even if you get blown out, as a goalie you do the best you can, battle. We all let in a weak goal, just like me last night (see video) I always say "make the next save."

[@ovr40goalie]

Yeah I love playing against higher level players. You get that satisfaction of stopping them lol but you’re right stinkers going in is always part of the game

[@DesertGuyAZ]

It's a tough question, because save % isn't everything. If you're making a lot of saves off of dangerous opportunities, that's a good sign. If you're keeping your team in striking distance, that's another good sign. There are games where you'll just be outgunned at every position ... and if you can keep your team respectable in those situations, you've had a good game. But it's weird -- I had a 12-shots-against shutout recently where I don't feel like I played nearly as well as a 5-3 loss against one of the top teams in my league.

[@ovr40goalie]

For sure those low shots against games don’t really make you feel like you earned the win sometimes. Whereas you play lights out and still lose. Ah being a goalie is an up and down roller coaster lol

[@TyeMorrisVlog]

I’m 44 and just started playing goalie this season. I’m not very good yet, but I consider it a good game if I did my best, gave it my best effort, but most of all if I had fun. I’m playing for fun and health at this age, and I play with a great group of folks of all ages. We all gotta go to work in the morning so we’re not too rough and tumble and we’re not taking it super seriously. We’re playing for the love of the game, and those of us who are older are playing to also be a good example to our kids so they see us enjoying being active.

[@DesertGuyAZ]

Good on you for taking on a hard position at 44.

[@ovr40goalie]

That’s great to hear! I love using hockey as an excuse to stay healthy. It’s a healthy obsession I call it

[@Kindlepreneur]

That's a hard question. Although, one indicator I see is by the end of the game, am I stoked for the opportunity of a shot coming, or am I think "oh dear God, let me save this." If its the former, then I know my game has been good and I'm feeling confident. If its the later, then clearly, I've struggled regardless of whether we're winning.

[@ovr40goalie]

I can totally relate! Some nights if I’m off I’m already thinking about my post game meal lol

[@paulheadley3652]

This is a good question I think goalies should ask themselves. It helps you identify ways or areas to improve your game. For me, a good game is more of how I feel during the game. Am I moving well, am I making good decisions with save selections. There are different circumstances to every shot that gets past me but how was my read on that play, was i realistically able to make a save on that shot... As goalies we are naturally hard on ourselves and I think even in games where a lot of goals go in, we probably played better than we think! Keep up the good work and thanks for the vids!!

[@ovr40goalie]

Yeah that’s fair, many nights I feel like I had a stinker of a game but teammates say I play amazing. It must be different when viewed from an outside perspective. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@beardedatvers]

1045 games suck. after 10 hour work days and needing to be up by 5am with 40 minute one way drives I've learned to let it slide if I fail as they are lucky enough I haven't napped in the net yet

[@ovr40goalie]

I hear ya , my kids wake up around 530 sometimes earlier , then I gotta goto work after - lucky I just take a nap in the car haha

[@resetcbu]

I feel like I played a good game if I feel like I did everything I could and didn't give up too many softies . The other week when we played and we were pretty badly outmatched (it happens and all my teammates played hard) and we lost 6-2 but I felt like I held us in there until the final few minutes. There was one goal I really wanted back but several 2 on 1 and 2 on 0 goals and yeah, I would have liked to stop a couple more of those, I feel I gave it all I could. Kept it 4-2 until about 5 minutes left but just we just couldn't come back and they scored a couple nice, late goals. All in all, I was pretty happy with the way I played, even though the score didn't look that way but I felt like my (personal) game was better than some games we won where I only gave up like 3... Those games we were the better team, I felt all the goals against were ones I should have had... I was definitely more happy to get the win from a team perspective, but I knew I could be better.

[@ovr40goalie]

It’s definitely a struggle being a goalie and I can relate to your thoughts exactly!

[@resetcbu]

@ovr40goalie indeed it is but that's what weeks it's so unique

[@lazAthletics]

Skating is looking good dude

[@ovr40goalie]

Thanks! Having pain free skates sure helps

[@CreaseQuest]

Really great question. For me, it’s one good glove save. Haha I’ve had wins, recently, that I left feeling I had a really bad game despite the win. I have things I’m working on that I feel will make me a better goalie. If I play a game where I think I executed those things well, then that’s a good game for me. Way I see it, if I get better the results will come.

[@ovr40goalie]

Gotta have that windmill save! I think like others have said here you probably are playing a lot better than you think especially if you are winning games

[@Miketeg83]

Having a good game for me is being square to the puck, being big in the net and don't allow any garbage goal (including bad rebound). Even if my team lose, if i'm able to achieve those 3 elements, i'll be happy with my game.

[@ovr40goalie]

Nice and simple I like that! I’ve always struggled with still letting in that one goal I “should” have due to brain farts

[@PizzaRollz1]

I think a good game for me is when I can be comfortable with my movement, positioning, etc, on the ice, not have to think about it, and then if I make all the saves I have to make. I think as a goalie, if you make the saves you should make, you'll feel good; if your movement and positioning is on, those saves will naturally happen. Then it's just a case of making a couple that you maybe shouldn't have the right to make, but in all honestly, back to positioning and movement, that's my big one. If that's off, no matter how few goals I give up, I feel like I've not played well and vice versa.

[@ovr40goalie]

I really like the idea of, make the saves you should make plus a couple you shouldn't. I find it interesting that most responses say the outcome of the game doesn't really reflect on "if you played well"

[@PizzaRollz1]

@ovr40goalie There are so many variables you can't control that make it hard to view the score as telling the true tale. A shutout with 1 shot vs a shutout with 20, for example, or a say, 8-1 loss, but all the goals are off say, defensemans skates leaving you no chance, both tell completely opposite things to how the games could have actually played out, from the goalies perspective. Understand what you can control, and do your best within that lane.

[@Taylod1]

For me recognizing when a goal is scored and I'm not set correctly, it's pisses me off and I'll tell my D-men that was on me, think about what I could do differently and and I move on. For me standing around watching the other goal make save after save tends to put in a mindset that I can't let the next shot in which is when I switch into my relaxed mode gloves on he pads just watching the puck no other thoughts just watching the play. A good games begins when I allow few goals than the other guy, it also includes how comfortable I was stopping pucks, did I have good puck management in the blue paint, if I have bad games I do my best to forget about it as quickly as possible. I'm not sure if I answered your question in my opinion there's a lot to unpack.

[@ovr40goalie]

Thanks for sharing! It’s definitely a loaded question and varies from person to person. Great to hear everyone’s perspective

[@GreatFreedom]

part of what u said is correct but there also reconizing things too like good example i had a game over weekend.. first 3minutes up 6-0... the teams were like sister teams to each other so wasnt any bad blood but as a goalie u watching the other guy if you cant reconize that hey he feeling shitty already why would you want to also rub it in on him by playing "best" ever keeping it like a shutout game when its clear the team u on also starts to sandbag n hold bag to make it better, personally i chose to give up 7goals for the game to a final score of 11-7 makes other goalie not feel like he super bad at it but it also makes game more fun to keep game fun, i still had fun in the game n didnt feel like the game was boring by the end cause i chose to let many goals in.. while i enjoy seeingm y stats sometimes it doesnt reflect how the game was at the time

[@ovr40goalie]

That’s the thing with stats it never really tells the whole story but that’s what people look at after a game unfortunately. I do the same and let off the gas a little if it’s out of hand. Nothing to prove when it’s one sided

[@jimmyhumphrey9820]

I consider myself of having a good game if I stopped all the shots I should have stopped, that I've snagged a few I shouldn't have, and gave my team a chance to win.

[@ovr40goalie]

This is how I usually felt too, unfortunately I would always let one or two in that I should have had but have a bunch I shouldn’t haha .

[@tracey1013]

Over 40, you need to listen to your body when not to play. I started a game Wednesday morning, and I had to leave in the first period because I hurt my lower back. Missed my Friday morning game and missing my Sunday afternoon game. I hope I will be better by next Wednesday, but I'm not pushing it.

[@ovr40goalie]

I am definitely not good at listening to my body lol I still have that mentality that more time spent equals better results but I’m trying to let that go

[@randovidupload9422]

Do you find that you play too deep?

[@ovr40goalie]

Great question, over the summer after reviewing footage I made an effort to take an extra inch or so when challenging shots so it’s definitely improved. I do think I could come out a bit more but really depends on the play (breakaways I play too deep and overlap could come out a bit more) but there hasn’t been many times recently where I’ve been beat and told myself I need to come out more I used to come way out and have more backwards flow but for some reason I just don’t feel comfortable doing that anymore. Anyway that’s a great question and observation and I may consider coming out a bit more next time