Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallA good NHL backup goalie stays ready despite long gaps between starts, handles the confidence demands of an uncertain role, and gives the team dependable coverage when its starter rests or is unavailable. The job is not simply to post a strong save percentage: it also calls for repeatable preparation, sound technique, and performance judged in the context of workload and shot difficulty.
Why readiness between starts matters
A backup can go many days without playing, then be expected to handle NHL shots at full speed. That gap makes game timing and confidence harder to maintain. Dallas Stars goalie Casey DeSmith described the challenge to NHL.com this way: “The confidence issue, and if you have a bad one not getting right back in is the hardest part.” Winnipeg Jets backup Eric Comrie put it more simply: “The hardest part is definitely finding that game rhythm.” Those affiliations describe their roles when NHL.com published its reporting, not necessarily their current teams.
Preparation has to bridge the gap between practice and competition. Open, uncontested practice shots do not always resemble game situations; repeatedly facing them can reinforce habits that fail under traffic, movement, or a quick pass. Realistic drills, puck tracking through traffic, unpredictable sequences, video, and useful feedback from a goalie coach can make practice more transferable. Carter Hutton, identified as the St. Louis Blues backup in NHL.com’s article, said a goalie can “set yourself up to be in a rhythm with the way you practice, the way you train, the way you prepare.”
What qualities help a backup succeed?
Mental reset and disciplined preparation
A backup needs to put a poor outing behind them without knowing exactly when the next opportunity will come. A consistent routine—built around practice, training, video, and goalie-coach feedback—gives the goalie useful work to control while waiting. Hutton also told NHL.com: “Your head controls a lot of that; the way we think and prepare. Do we prepare to succeed or do we prepare to fail?”
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
#1 Best Overall
- GOALIE SET: Specially designed for street hockey with high quality durable materials that offer premium comfort and protection
- ADJUSTABLE STRAPS: Strap in quick and easy with our adjustable strap design that allows for a fitted feel when preparing to dominate the street
- LIGHTWEIGHT BREATHABILITY: Designed with comfort in mind so there is added ventilation to help keep players cool while they defend their crease!
- JR L/XL SET INCLUDES: Leg pads: 26" , catch glove 11", goalie blocker 14"
- NHL HOCKEY OFFICIAL: This goalie set is officially licensed by the National Hockey League for use with official 2 5/8" street hockey balls only and is designed to reduce, not prevent, injury
Reliable positioning and puck tracking
Some coaches favor technically sound, more conservative positioning for backups because repeatable positioning may be less vulnerable when timing and feel are rusty. That is a coaching perspective, not a rule that every backup should use the same style. The more useful standard is whether the goalie tracks the puck, reads developing plays, and executes reliably when game rhythm is limited.
Credible coverage for the team
A backup’s value extends beyond their own starts. A capable second goalie can give the starter rest, take scheduled starts, provide relief if needed, and cover an absence. Teams may use tandems or split some back-to-backs, but deployment depends on the quality of both goalies as well as rest, opponent, travel, health, and schedule.
Rank #2
- ALL IN ONE SET: This set has all the mini hockey goalie equipment you need to get between the pipes
- INCLUDES: Adjustable goalie mask, (2) leg pads, catch glove, and blocker!
- COMFORTABLE AND SAFE: The soft foam pads and blockers provide ample protection while remaining comfortable and breathable
- GREAT FOR KIDS: This set is perfect for young kids and is recommended for hockey players ages 3-6
- FOR MINI HOCKEY USE: This set is designed and intended for use with foam balls or pucks only
How to assess a backup goalie
Start by establishing workload: look at starts and minutes played before comparing outcomes. Then consider shots faced, save percentage, and goals-against average. Where available, goals saved above average per 60 minutes or quality-start percentage can add perspective, but neither replaces video or fully accounts for team defense and shot circumstances.
Raw outcomes can obscure the difficulty of the work. Shot type and distance, angle, rush chances, pre-shot passes, goalie movement, defensive errors, and the goalie’s read all affect what a save percentage or goals-against average says about performance. Compare numbers with workload and shot difficulty where possible, then review video and team context. A short run can swing sharply when only a small number of goals are involved, so avoid treating a few starts as a definitive verdict.
Rank #3
- COMPLETE SET: This set has everything goalies need to get between the pipes. It includes leg pads, catch glove, and a blocker pad for improved street hockey fun!
- 28" CUSHIONED LEG PADS: Designed with a pre-curved knee, tapered thigh rise, and easy-fasten straps for a fast, comfortable fit for most goalies
- GOALIE CATCH GLOVE: The 12" goalie catch glove is constructed with pro style T-trap webbing and a hand contoured pocket for an exceptional fit and optimal performance
- LIGHTWEIGHT BLOCKER: The high-density, lightweight 14" blocker pad comes with a built-in comfort fit glove for ultimate control in net
- FOR STREET HOCKEY ONLY: This goalie set is only designed for use with official size street hockey balls (2-5/8"), and is designed to reduce, not prevent, injury
A 2025 retrospective study by Ekhtiari and colleagues defined goals saved above average as theoretical goals prevented relative to a league-average save percentage on the same shot volume, standardized per 60 minutes in that analysis. It defined quality-start percentage using the study’s stated rule for qualifying starts. These are the study’s operational definitions, not universal NHL standards.
- Performance in context: Compare outcomes with shots faced and, where available, their difficulty rather than relying on raw totals alone.
- Reliability and availability: Consider whether the goalie can cover the starts and schedule situations expected of them.
- Readiness after time off: Look for disciplined preparation and repeatable positioning that can carry into games after a gap.
- Team fit: Assess how the goalie’s coverage supports starter rest and gives the club flexibility.
Workload figures are context, not a target
Historical workload analyses can illustrate how teams have used goalies, but they do not establish an ideal number of starts for a backup or prove that a particular workload causes success. NHL.com reported that Stanley Cup-winning goalies since 2009 averaged 44 regular-season games in its historical analysis. Its sample included Matt Murray’s 13 NHL games in 2016 and excluded his 31 AHL games. The same article reported a historical average of 46 regular-season starts for Cup-winning goalies since Martin Brodeur won in 2003. These are different workload measures from distinct historical comparisons, not recommended targets.
Rank #4
- Ice Hockey Goalkeeper Provide 5 Size :18inch 21inch 23inch 24inch 27inch.
- BenKen Sport Ice hockey Goalie Equipment Set Pullable fabric：The Fabric Can be Lifted And Printed Using a Sublimation Printing Process to Ensure No Fading.
- The Goalie Equipment Recommended for Children and Adolescent, Suit For Ages 3 to 16, It Provide Full Protection When Playing Street Hockey.
- 220mm Thick K15 Hard Foam Of Knee/Leg Pads: With Ultra Lightweight Foam Padding,Soft Gasket, Dispersion Pressure.
- Comprehensive protection: The Superbly Materials and Exquisite Production Technology Allow You to Enjoy the Joy of Hockey on The Sports Field and Avoid the Trouble Caused by Accidental Injuries.
That NHL.com article also compared four goalies with 70 or more games in the five regular seasons preceding its publication with 22 in the five full seasons before that. The comparison is tied to the periods described in the article; it is not a current league total.
Back-to-back evidence also needs qualification. The Seattle Kraken’s workload article attributed a just-over-11-percent reduction in save percentage to Eric Tulsky’s 2013 analysis of goalies playing both nights of a back-to-back. The same Kraken article noted that later analyses by Andrew Thomas of SportsMEDIA Technology and Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic found a less significant effect. That estimate should not be treated as settled or current consensus, and it does not determine how a particular team should divide starts.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteQuick Recap
Best Value
- ALL IN ONE GRAFFITI SET: This set has all the mini hockey goalie equipment you need to get between the pipes with style and flair!
- COMPLETE SET: This all-in-one kids set includes (1) adjustable goalie mask, (2) leg pads, (1) catch glove, and (1) blocker so kids have all the mini hockey goalie equipment they need
- COMFORTABLE + SAFE: The soft foam pads and blockers provide ample protection while remaining comfortable and breathable
- GREAT FOR KIDS: This set is perfect for young kids and is recommended for hockey players ages 3-6
- FOR MINI HOCKEY USE: This set is designed and intended for use with foam balls or pucks only
Sources
- NHL.com: “Unmasked: Maintaining game rhythm, confidence key to surviving as backup NHL goalie.”
- NHL.com: “Mind games part of life for goaltenders.”
- NHL.com: “Ideal workload for starting goalie on playoff-bound teams.”
- Seattle Kraken / NHL.com: “Examining Goalie Workload.”
- NHL.com: “Elite goalies trust process, not stats.”
- Ekhtiari et al., “Load Management Among Professional Hockey Goalies: A Retrospective Cohort Study,” Sports Health, 2025.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
