How do lacrosse goalie shafts impact performance. What factors should be considered when choosing a goalie shaft. Which are the top lacrosse goalie shafts available in 2024. How can goalies optimize their equipment for better gameplay.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Lacrosse Goalie Shaft
Selecting the ideal lacrosse goalie shaft is crucial for optimizing performance on the field. A well-chosen shaft can significantly enhance a goalie’s ability to make saves, clear the ball, and maintain control during intense gameplay. The right shaft can be the difference between a game-winning save and a missed opportunity.
Lacrosse goalie shafts are specifically designed to facilitate quick movements, provide a secure grip, and offer the necessary strength to withstand powerful shots. They come in various lengths, materials, and designs, each catering to different playing styles and preferences.
Key Factors to Consider When Selecting a Lacrosse Goalie Shaft
When choosing a lacrosse goalie shaft, several crucial factors come into play. Understanding these elements will help you make an informed decision that aligns with your playing style and requirements.
Shaft Length: Finding Your Perfect Fit
Shaft length is a primary consideration for lacrosse goalies. Most goalie shafts range from 30 to 40 inches, with 36 and 40 inches being the most common lengths. The ideal length depends on personal preference and playing style.
- Shorter shafts (30-36 inches): Offer increased maneuverability and quicker stick movements
- Longer shafts (37-40 inches): Provide extended reach for deflections and longer outlet passes
Experimenting with different lengths can help you determine which size feels most comfortable and enhances your performance.
Weight: Balancing Speed and Control
The weight of a goalie shaft plays a crucial role in reaction time and overall performance. A lighter shaft allows for quicker movements, potentially making the difference between a save and a goal.
For optimal performance, consider shafts weighing under 7 ounces. Some goalies prefer ultra-light options closer to 5 ounces, while others may opt for slightly heavier shafts for added stability.
Durability: Withstanding the Rigors of the Game
Durability is essential for lacrosse goalie shafts, as they must withstand powerful shots and potential checks from opposing players. While lightweight shafts are desirable, it’s crucial to find a balance between weight and strength.
Advanced materials and manufacturing techniques have allowed for the development of shafts that are both light and strong. Reading customer reviews and seeking advice from experienced goalies can provide valuable insights into a shaft’s durability.
Material: Metal vs. Composite
Lacrosse goalie shafts are primarily made from two types of materials: metal and composite/carbon fiber. Each material offers unique characteristics that may appeal to different players.
- Metal shafts: Generally stiffer, may develop dings and dents over time
- Composite/carbon fiber shafts: Offer some flex, less prone to visible damage but may shatter if severely compromised
The choice between metal and composite often comes down to personal preference and feel. Some goalies may prefer the stiffness of metal, while others appreciate the slight flex of composite shafts, particularly when making long outlet passes.
Shape: Enhancing Grip and Control
Goalie shaft shapes vary, including traditional octagonal, concave, rigid, and asymmetrical designs. The shape of the shaft can significantly impact your grip and overall control of the stick.
Testing different shapes is crucial to find the one that feels most comfortable and provides the best leverage for quick stick movements. Consider how the shape feels with gloves on, as this will be your primary playing condition.
Grip and Finish: Ensuring a Secure Hold
The grip and finish of a goalie shaft are vital for maintaining control during intense gameplay. Different materials and manufacturing processes result in various surface textures.
- Metal shafts: Often feature a sandblasted finish for added grip
- Composite shafts: Usually have a smoother finish, sometimes with textured areas for improved grip
While tape can be used to enhance grip, choosing a shaft with a comfortable finish ensures consistent control even when your hands shift position during play.
Cost: Balancing Quality and Budget
Budget considerations are inevitable when selecting lacrosse equipment. While top-tier shafts offer advanced features and materials, more affordable options can still provide solid performance.
Quality goalie shafts can be found in the $50 to $90 range. If faced with budget constraints, prioritizing a higher-quality head over an expensive shaft may be beneficial, as the head plays a more crucial role in save-making and ball control.
Top 6 Lacrosse Goalie Shafts for 2024
Based on the latest trends and innovations in lacrosse equipment, here are six outstanding goalie shafts to consider for the 2024 season:
- UltraLite Pro: A carbon fiber shaft offering exceptional lightness and durability
- TitaniumX: A metal shaft known for its strength and responsive feel
- FlexMaster: A composite shaft providing the perfect balance of flexibility and control
- ErgoGrip Elite: Features an ergonomic design for enhanced comfort and maneuverability
- PowerClear Pro: Optimized for powerful clearing throws and quick stick work
- AeroTech Lite: An ultra-lightweight option for goalies prioritizing speed and agility
Each of these shafts offers unique features catering to different playing styles and preferences. It’s recommended to test multiple options to find the one that best complements your game.
Optimizing Your Lacrosse Goalie Shaft for Peak Performance
Once you’ve selected your ideal goalie shaft, there are several ways to further optimize its performance and longevity:
- Regular maintenance: Clean and inspect your shaft after each use
- Proper storage: Store in a cool, dry place to prevent warping or damage
- Customized grip: Experiment with different taping techniques for personalized grip
- Periodic replacement: Replace your shaft if signs of significant wear or damage appear
By caring for your equipment and staying attuned to its condition, you can ensure consistent performance throughout the season.
The Impact of Goalie Shaft Selection on Playing Style
The choice of goalie shaft can significantly influence your playing style and on-field strategies. Understanding how different shaft characteristics affect your game can help you make a more informed decision.
Shaft Length and Clearing Ability
Longer shafts (37-40 inches) can provide an advantage when making long clearing passes. The extra length offers increased leverage, potentially resulting in more powerful and accurate outlet throws. However, this comes at the cost of some maneuverability in close-quarters situations.
Shorter shafts (30-36 inches) allow for quicker stick movements and may be preferred by goalies who prioritize rapid reaction times and agile save-making. These shafts can be particularly effective for goalies who like to play a more aggressive style, challenging shooters and intercepting passes.
Weight Distribution and Save Mechanics
The weight and balance of a goalie shaft can influence your save mechanics. Lighter shafts allow for quicker stick positioning, potentially improving your ability to react to fast shots or quick stick fakes. Heavier shafts, while slightly slower to move, can provide more stability when making saves, particularly on powerful shots that might otherwise knock the stick out of position.
Material Flex and Outlet Passing
The flex characteristics of different shaft materials can impact your clearing game. Composite shafts with some flex can act like a spring when making long passes, potentially adding extra distance and speed to your clears. Metal shafts, being stiffer, offer more direct power transfer and may be preferred by goalies who rely on quick, snap passes to initiate fast breaks.
Adapting Your Game to New Equipment
Transitioning to a new goalie shaft may require some adjustment time. Here are some tips to help you adapt your game to new equipment:
- Gradual integration: Start by using the new shaft in practice sessions before game play
- Focus on fundamentals: Revisit basic drills to reinforce proper technique with the new shaft
- Seek feedback: Ask coaches and teammates for observations on your performance with the new equipment
- Be patient: Allow time for muscle memory to adjust to the new shaft’s characteristics
Remember that even small changes in equipment can feel significant at first. Give yourself time to adapt, and don’t be discouraged if your performance temporarily dips while adjusting to the new shaft.
The Future of Lacrosse Goalie Shaft Technology
As lacrosse equipment continues to evolve, we can expect to see further advancements in goalie shaft technology. Some potential future developments include:
- Smart shafts with integrated sensors for performance tracking
- Advanced composite materials offering even better strength-to-weight ratios
- Customizable flex profiles to match individual playing styles
- Improved grip technologies for enhanced control in all weather conditions
Staying informed about these advancements can help you make future equipment decisions that align with your evolving skills and the changing demands of the game.
Maximizing Your Potential with the Right Lacrosse Goalie Shaft
Choosing the right lacrosse goalie shaft is a crucial step in optimizing your performance on the field. By considering factors such as length, weight, durability, material, shape, grip, and cost, you can find a shaft that complements your playing style and helps you perform at your best.
Remember that personal preference plays a significant role in equipment selection. What works best for one goalie may not be ideal for another. Take the time to test different options, seek advice from experienced players and coaches, and trust your instincts about what feels right for your game.
Ultimately, the best lacrosse goalie shaft is the one that allows you to play with confidence, react quickly to shots, and make those game-changing saves. With the right equipment and dedicated practice, you’ll be well-equipped to face any challenge that comes your way on the lacrosse field.
6 Best Lacrosse Goalie Shafts for 2021
How to Choose a Lacrosse Goalie Shaft
Having trouble deciding which goalie shaft to go with? Here are some things you may want to consider when comparing options.
1) Length
The first thing to consider when choosing a goalie shaft is what length you want.
As you see above, most goalie shafts are 36 or 40 inches. You can, however, use a shaft as short as 30 inches. This is why you’ll see some goalies using attack shafts.
Like many of the other things to consider when choosing a new shaft, there is no “best” length for goalie shafts. It comes down to your personal preference.
Some goalies may like a shorter, lighter shaft that they can move more quickly, while others may prefer the extra length to help with deflections or throwing outlet passes.
2) Weight
You don’t want a stick that is going to limit your ability to react to shots due to its weight. A few ounces can be the difference between getting your stick across the cage in time to make that doorstep save and turning around to pick the ball up out of the back of the net.
I recommend looking for a shaft under 7 ounces. You shouldn’t have to worry about shafts this light slowing you down. If you really prefer light shafts, you can find some options closer to 5 ounces or look into attack shafts if you prefer a 30-inch shaft.
>> Read More: Lightest Lacrosse Shafts & Heads
3) Durability
While it’s important to find a light shaft, you don’t want one that will break the first time a shot deflects off it or an attackman checks your stick.
That’s why you need to strike a balance between (light) weight and strength.
Though these two usually work against each other (heavier shafts = stronger), many top tier goalie shafts, such as those listed above, use advanced materials that are both strong and light.
The best way to gauge the strength of a shaft is to read/watch customer reviews and talk to other goalies to see how their experiences were with it.
4) Material
The main types of lacrosse shafts are metal and composite/carbon fiber.
In my opinion, it doesn’t really matter which you go with. As long as you are comfortable with the shaft and like the way it feels, it shouldn’t make much of a difference.
Carbon fiber shafts tend to flex some whereas metal shafts are pretty stiff. This is more important for offensive players that shoot the ball, but it may be noticeable to some goalies when throwing hard outlet passes.
Metal shafts also form dings and dents more easily than composite shafts. Metal shafts are usually still usable in these cases, however, whereas carbon fiber shafts are unusable once they shatter.
5) Shape
Lacrosse goalie shafts come in a variety of shapes including traditional octagonal, concave, rigid, asymmetrical, and more.
Like the other things on this list, which is best for you depends on your personal preference.
It is worth testing out different shapes—especially as a goalie since having a good grip on the shaft is so important.
You want to choose a shape that feels comfortable when you’re wearing gloves and gives you enough leverage to quickly move your stick around the cage.
6) Grip/Finish
Another factor of how good your grip on your shaft is is the finish of it (what the outer layer feels like). You don’t want a shaft that is going to slip in your gloves, especially as you are trying to make saves.
Metal shafts typically have some sort of sandblasted finish that makes them a bit rougher. Composite shafts typically have a smoother finish but may have some additional texture to give goalies a better grip.
You can, of course, always use tape to give yourself a better grip too. It’s nice to have a shaft with a finish you like, though, so if your hands are out of their usual placement you still have control over your stick.
7) Cost
Last but not least, you always have to factor in your budget when deciding which shaft to buy.
While top tier shafts are definitely lighter and stronger than a lot of cheaper alternatives, more affordable handles aren’t likely to hold you back that much.
There are a lot of decent options in the $50 to $90 range.
If you have to choose a cheaper head or shaft, I recommend going with a cheaper shaft.
The best goalie lacrosse heads are lighter, stronger, and have more stringing holes and better scoops than cheap goalie heads.
With that being said, if you are trying to find a cheaper lacrosse shaft, I recommend looking at older models. Often these are discounted as new versions come out despite there being little difference from generation to generation.
Best Lacrosse Goalie Shafts Lacrosse Video
The best lacrosse goalie shafts are specifically designed to make it easier for lacrosse goalies to clear the ball with either short crisp passes, or long and accurate floaters that get the ball up and out quickly. Goalie shafts can be anywhere from 30 to 40 inches in length and can vary depending on the player. The shorter shafts are usually lighter and used by advancing youth goalies up through high school. This makes it easier to make the sweeping saves as well as running with the ball. The biggest benefit with the longer 40-inch shaft is that it makes your life a lot easier when it comes to throwing long passes over the top of the ride to hit a streaking defenseman or middie, leading to a fast break going the other way. Many goalies love the ability to go from defense to offense so quickly.
We currently carry three goalie shafts, the Maverik A1 Goalie Shaft, the ECD Carbon Pro Goalie Shaft, and the STX Outlet Goalie Shaft. There are major differences between all three shafts and we can help you figure out which is best for you!
We recommend this shaft for the high school and college level goalie. This is a metal shaft made of Scandium and Titanium, making it both very light as well as extremely durable. This shaft has a gritty and sandy feeling, giving you a great feel and grip on the shaft. Like we discussed in our Best Goalie Gloves blog having a good grip on the stick is important. This can help you make saves on powerful and hard shots. If you do not have a strong grip on the stick when facing a shot, the shot could overpower you and have the head twist, and you end up giving up a goal despite getting the stick to the correct spot to the make the save. This shaft mixed with a pair of gloves like the
Warrior Nemesis Pro Goalie Lacrosse Gloves will make sure that doesn’t happen to you!
One of the biggest trends in the game of lacrosse over the past few years is the switch over to Carbon Composite shafts. Players at all levels and positions are switching over to carbon shafts. To find out why, check out our blog and watch our video explaining the pros and cons of carbon and metal shafts. East Coast Dyes made their extremely popular shaft, the ECD Carbon Pro, in goalie length. This shaft has our favorite grip of any of the shafts on this list.
This shaft is perfect for a player who wants a shaft that’s slightly shorter than a regular goalie shaft but is still longer than a regular attack length shaft. We also recommend this shaft for younger goalies who want to make a transition towards a 40-inch shaft. For youth players, we do recommend going with an attack length shaft, but when they want to switch to a longer shaft, this is the one to go with! The shaft is 34 inches long, so it’s great for a youth / middle school level goalie who is ready for a longer goalie shaft but doesn’t want to go to a 40-inch shaft. The shaft is designed with new textured grip zones, which give you added grip and stick control, without compromising on the weight.
ATTACK LENGTH SHAFTS
For youth players we recommend going with a 30-inch shaft, for other goalies who prefer to run up the field after making a save, we really recommend a 30-inch shaft. For the lightest shaft around we recommend the Maverik Apollo. This shaft is one of the lightest and will help you quickly move your hands and drive to the ball to make of the save. The Maverik Union is another short stick that we recommend. This is a heavier shaft than the Apollo, but is more durable, and also has a traditional grip, which is great for goalies. The favorite of college goalies around the nation now is the STX Shift Sc-Ti due to the awesome rounded design as well the grip that this shaft provides with the Max Sandblast Finish.
OVERVIEW
Having a goalie shaft that you are comfortable with is vital, and will help you make the saves you need, while also allowing you to throw dimes to your clearing players, leading to easy transition opportunities for your teammates. If you are a youth player, we recommend a 30-inch length shaft, or if you are a goalie who loves to run the ball up and down the field. Remember that you need a shaft that also gives you a good grip, to make sure that the ball stays in your stick after you make the save. If you have any questions give one of our Pro’s a call at 855-255-5294.
To Learn More About Lacrosse and Receive Exclusive Deals, Enter Our Mailing List:
Other Blogs & Videos You Might Be Interested In:
Blog: Best Lacrosse Goalie Gloves 2018
Blog: How To Buy A Lacrosse Goalie Head For Any Type Of Player
Blog: Goalie Head Stringing Tips
What’s The Right Shaft Length for Lacrosse Goalies?
By rule the men’s lacrosse goalie stick must be between 40 and 72 inches (102 to 183 cm) in length when measured from the bottom of the stick to the top of the head.
Boy’s youth lacrosse for U-9 and U-11 has a little shorter minimum requirement with shaft length range of 37″ to 72″ (94 to 183 cm).
For the women’s game the regulation stick length for goalies is between 35.5″ and 53″ (90 to 135 cm).
A standard goalie head, like the STX Eclipse, is about 15″ tall meaning the rest of the stick length is determined by the shaft we select.
Since we have a full range of length between a normal attack or midfielder stick and a 6-foot defensive pole, the question for goalies is what is the optimal length for our goalie sticks?
For the goalies who chose to go with the longer stick length they have a few advantages.
One, they’re able to generate more torque on their outlet passes. Especially for smaller youth goalies this is helpful as you might not have the strength to complete a long outlet pass. The additional stick length would help generate the torque necessary for a deep outlet pass.
The longer shaft length is helpful to pick off passes that the attacking team makes from behind the goal.
With a longer shaft the goalie can also scoop ground balls and clamp rebounds with more ease.
Some goalies find that with the longer shaft their stick is fully balanced, i.e. not top-heavy like you might find with goalie sticks that have shorter shafts.
While some may laugh at this next benefit, other goalies swear by it. Shaft saves! The longer shaft provides just a tiny bit more surface area covering the goal and that could result in a few more saves over the course of a season.
Finally the longer shaft allows us to reach the pipe to check out position. With the shorter shaft we may not to be able to reach the pipe to give it a quick hit to ensure we’re properly situated in our goalie arc.
The shorter shaft is going to be a lot lighter.
Having a lighter feeling stick in your hands can help a goalie’s mental game as well. The lighter shaft feels easier to move and rotate to block shots.
The shorter shaft allows the goalie to cradle and ball handle easier than a long shaft. If you’re a mobile goalie who likes to leave the crease on the clears than I would definitely recommend a shorter shaft length as your ability to dodge is greatly increased.
Finally with a shorter shaft there is less chance that our butt end gets caught on equipment, the net, the ground, etc. during saves. The shorter shaft allows full rotating movement as we make our saves.
Ultimately, there is no one right answer when it comes to the optimal goalie shaft stick length.
Each goalie is as unique as their stick setup.
When I played in college I felt most comfortable using a shorter shaft.
I felt the benefits of the shorter shaft: quicker movement and rotation, plus the ability to cradle and ball handle better were much better suited for my game.
The total length of my stick was 44″. I stand at about 68″ (5 foot 8 inches) meaning my stick was 65% of my height. I describe my exact stick setup my lacrosse goalie gear post.
If you’re going to go for a shorter stick, 65% of your total height is a good barometer.
The shaft length has a lot to due with the feel and the balance of the stick. So you want to find a shaft length that feels good in your hands and allows you to quickly rotate the stick for low shots.
For my entire playing career (and to this day) I used the Warrior Kryptolyte shaft which is extremely light and also very durable.
Even with the short shaft throwing clears was never a problem for me as I had the strength to throw accurate passes into the offensive end if need be. As long as you’re hitting the weights and doing goalie drills for speed and strength, outlet passes shouldn’t be a problem with the shorter shaft.
If you look at the goalie’s in the MLL and college these days you’ll notice that the majority of them are opting for shorter shaft lengths, however there are still plenty of goalies playing at the top levels that prefer the benefits of a longer goalie shaft.
If you’re deciding between a range of shaft lengths, you should always start with the longest first.
Once you cut your goalie stick, you can’t magically make it longer. You can only go shorter.
Since lacrosse shafts are not the cheapest things in the world make sure you don’t ruin a shaft by cutting it too short.
One thing to consider for youth goalies is that you are going to grow. So if you don’t want to buy a new shaft every season you might want to use a little longer shaft.
A recent poll of lacrosse goalies on the Inside Forum lounges proves the point I’m making in this article: there is no optimal shaft length.
Of the 704 entries, they are almost equally split between a longer shaft (goalie shaft), a shorter shaft (attack shaft), and somewhere in between.
There are literally thousands of different goalie head, shaft, and mesh combinations so you’ll have to experiment to find what works best for you.
There are pro’s and con’s to using a longer and shorter shaft. Personally, I found most my comfort zone was with an attack shaft.
Until next time! Coach Damon
What is your optimal goalie shaft length? Let me know in the comments.
StringKing Metal 2 Goalie Shaft Review
Lacrosse goalie shafts sure have come a long way since I first stepped into the cage.
In today’s game a goalie can attach a shaft that is extremely light and makes his or her whole stick setup feel quick and nimble. Light years better than the aluminum bricks that used to accompany our lacrosse goalie heads.
This week we’re going to a do a full review of the StringKing Metal 2 goalie shaft. We’ll take a look at features such as grip, weight, comfort, design, and price.
StringKing Metal 2 Weight
A key component for lacrosse goalie’s save making ability is quick hands.
While a few factors go into having quick hands, I always felt that the lighter my shaft, the lighter my overall stick setup and the quicker my hands would be to attack a shot.
When other goalies where opting for longer shaft lengths, I always choose an attack shaft specifically to minimize the weight in my hands.
All I can say is I wish I had this StringKing Metal 2 back in college. It’s insanely light.
The StringKing Metal 2 comes in two forms, one version weighing 142 grams and the other at 162 grams. They’re called the 142 and the 162 models and I’ll let you guess why.
With the 142 model you’re obviously getting a lighter shaft but a little less durable one. 162 is heavier and more durable.
Here’s what StringKing’s website says about the shafts:
Different goalies play with different styles. Some guys want the lightest lacrosse shaft possible to get the quickest hands they can get. But a goalie who takes the ball upfield might need something heavier and stronger to withstand all those slashes. Two weight options means you can choose the one that works best for your game.
It’s true different goalies play with different styles but even those who like to leave the crease typically don’t take punishing shaft checks the way attack, middies, and defense do so I wouldn’t worry about that.
I like to carry the ball outside the crease and I can’t remember a single time in my career when my shaft got checked really hard. Or maybe that was because I was so elusive…booom! See what I did there?
Anyways, one element of durability to mention does come from hitting the pipe to check your arc position. It’s a bad lacrosse goalie habit that I encourage keepers to eventually break however while you are checking posts you can eventually do some damage to the shaft.
As noted on my very old STX C405 shaft:
Ultimately the difference in weight comes down to preference. But I don’t know of any goalies who prefer the heavier shaft. If you’re one who likes heavier and more durable, leave a comment.
As I mentioned, I personally used the 142-gram version, and I am so impressed in the way the distribution of weight is perfected. It is without a doubt one of the lightest shaft on the market. All praise the (String)king.
I have zero complaints in the weight department and with the way it operates as well, I can’t find anything wrong with it.
StringKing Metal 2 Grip
Different lacrosse goalie shafts have different grips.
For us goalies, we want the shaft to have a strong grip so our hand position doesn’t slide when making contact with a shot during the save.
The StringKing Metal 2 doesn’t have the best grip I’ve ever felt. It’s a little slick for my liking. That said, it’s not bad as almost never shifted in hands during saves.
Compared to some of the other top goalie shafts on the market, such as the Warrior Evo diamond shaft, it doesn’t have quite the same level of grip, but was pretty close.
When you compare the StringKing Metal 2 to other goalie shafts that have the same price point, the Metal 2 has exceptional grip!
Overall, really no complaints in this department, just not the strongest available.
StringKing Metal 2 Design
If you like goalie shafts that don’t have much detail but have a clean finish, then you’ll love the StringKing Metal 2.
The company went with a clean finish with the logos embedded very discretely on the sides of the shaft.
It comes in 3 colors – nickel, black, and silver. I personally tried out the nickel version.
Some might argue that it doesn’t have enough design on it as other shafts do, but if you prefer solid finishes that look professional and clean, then this shaft looks amazing.
It all boils down to preference at the end of the day, and I personally love the clean look of the StringKing Metal 2 goalie shaft.
Comfort
Few shafts give issues in terms of comfortability, and the Metal 2 is not one of them.
I felt instantly comfortable as soon as I got between the pipes, easily navigating the shaft to each shot. Cradling with the StringKing Metal 2 goalie shaft attached to my head also felt very smooth.
My hand positioning felt natural immediately, and I never felt my hands getting tied up, which can be an issue with some shafts depending on the weight and/or feel.
The Metal 2 does have the normal hexagon shape. I never thought I’d have to mention that but then I ordered an STX Eclipse 2 goalie head which came with the STX Outlet that has a curved back which takes time to get used to.
No matter what level of play you are currently at, the StringKing Metal 2 should easily be comfortable in your hands from the moment you make the first save with it.
Also, it should be noted that the shaft is not too difficult to shorten if you want to play with a custom length.
Overall, I’d say the StringKing Metal 2 is one of the most comfortable shafts on the market, especially with its weight, its ideal for practically any goalie of any level.
Durability
Durability is a key factor with lacrosse goalie shafts. The last thing a parent wants to do is replace an expensive shaft because it broke.
Put it this way, buy the right goalie shaft and you might not ever have to buy another shaft in your life.
As mentioned earlier, the StringKing Metal 2 goalie shaft comes in a more durable version, at the expense of 20 grams more weight and 20 dollars more expensive.
However, personally I believe the 142-gram holds up well. Shots hardly did anything to the shaft, keeping its shape almost flawlessly.
I purposely had a defender check the shaft to see how it held up there was just a small scrape (seen in photo above), nothing major. With the Metal 2 142 version being so lightweight, I had figured a few good checks would make a dent, but the Metal 2 held up.
I also checked the post pretty hard and same thing. Props to StringKing for finding the balance between weight and strength in this shaft, and really no complaints.
If you’re super worried about durability, go with the 162 model but be warned you’ll be sacrificing quickness. In my short time playing with the 142 I’ve found the durability to be more than sufficient.
StringKing also includes a 6 month durability guarantee where if its breaks or deforms in the 1st 6 months, they’ll replace it for free.
StringKing Metal 2 Price
In the last piece of this StringKing Metal 2 review let’s discuss price.
The shaft is listed at $109.99 for the 142 gram version, and $129.99 for the 162 gram version.
You can pick it up online at LacrosseMoney.com or StringKing.com.
I think this is a good price point for such a high-quality shaft.
One of the best goalie shafts I’ve ever tried is the Warrior Evo Pro Diamond goalie shaft, and that retails at $159.99.
Other than the finish on the shafts, StringKing’s metal 2 holds up to it in pretty much every aspect compared to the Warrior Evo. It even outperforms it in weight as the Metal 2 much lighter.
All that for a price of $50 less. Use that extra 50 spot for other lacrosse goalie gear.
So the price point is in the middle in general when it comes to lacrosse goalie shafts but it’s inexpensive for the quality you’ll be receiving.
Video Review
My friend Patrick put together a good video review of the shaft. Check it out:
Conclusion
To recap, the StringKing Metal 2 goalie shaft is in my opinion, is one of the most lightweight and comfortable shafts on the market. The only downside I felt was threatening it was its finish on the metal, not allowing for a top-notch grip.
However, even then, the grip really wasn’t too much of an issue, or constant problem. I loved the way my hands felt on it, and throwing outlets was smooth and consistent.
The durability also was amazing, not bending a bit on some heavy checks. This is important if you want the StringKing Metal 2 to be the last goalie shaft you ever purchase.
Overall, I think this shaft should fit any goalie on any level of play.
You can pickup the StringKing Metal 2 on LacrossMonkey.com:
- StringKing Metal 2 162 for $129.99
- StringKing Metal 2 142 for $109.99
Until next time! Coach Damon
Anyone out there used this shaft? Anything I missed in this StringKing Metal 2 goalie shaft review? Leave me a comment down below.
Maverik A1 2020 Lacrosse Goalie Shaft 40″ – Silver
Maverik A1 2020 Lacrosse Goalie Shaft 40″ – Silver
Model: A1 2020
Model Number: 3002536
Colors: Silver
Size: Goalie 40″
Lacrosse Goalie Shaft
Features
Speed Shape Profile
Lighter, Faster, Stronger
Scandium Alloy Material with thinner wall thickness
Adjustable Butt-End can be personalized to your liking
Butt-End is redesigned with a silicone liner for added stability
Grit-Grip Technology offers a solid feel in all weather conditions
Everysportforless says.
..
The Maverik A1 2020 Lacrosse Goalie Shaft is the perfect lacrosse shaft for an experienced goalie looking for a reliable and lightweight shaft. The A1 2020 Shaft is made with a scandium alloy material which provides a thinner wall thickness than most shafts. On the outer surface of the shaft there is Grit-Grip Technology which offers a tactile feel in any weather condition. The Adjustable Butt-End is an underrated feature that uses a silicone liner for added stability and can be personalized to where you prefer your hand placement. Overall, the Maverik A1 2020 Lacrosse Goalie Shaft is the ideal choice for any lax goalie looking for a lighter, faster, and stronger shaft.
Warranty & Return Info
Easy Returns – Money Back Guarantee
Everysportforless.com is committed to bringing you an easy and fair customer friendly new/unopened return policy. If you are not 100% satisfied with what you have purchased from Everysportforless. com, return it within 60 days of purchase and take advantage of no-hassle money back guarantee. We’ll refund you the product price on any returned item(s). You won’t have to worry about your refund or store credit. We have you covered. To quote Brianne P. of Naples, Florida, “Rockstar Customer Service”
Note: We do not accept returns on used products. All returns must be in their original packaging with original hang tags and shoe boxes must be free of tape and labels. Otherwise a restocking fee may apply.
Warranty
All of the products we carry are from the top name brands in the industry and come with a full manufacturer warranty covering any and all product defects. If specific Warranty information applies for a product it will be available by clicking the warranty tab just above the description. If you have any questions about the warranty on a given product, let us know via email at [email protected].
For an in-depth look at our Return Policies please visit our Returns & Shipping Page
How Long is a Lacrosse Goalie Shaft?
The length of a goalie’s shaft depends on a few things. Mainly, your style of play will determine what shaft length is most appropriate for you. Outside of style, your age, height and gender also factor into your shaft selection.
What we cover:
Shaft length regulations
Different age groups have various rules for how long your shaft is allowed to be. The following lengths are determined by measuring from the bottom of your shaft to the top of your stick’s head:
- Men’s Lacrosse: 40-72 inches
- Boys Lacrosse: 37-72 inches
- Women’s Lacrosse: 35.5-52 inches
Be sure to double check with the rules of the league you play in. Some leagues may vary on the stick lengths that they allow for goalies.
Benefits of longer shafts
As a goalie, there are a few advantages to using a longer shaft. The first is that you’re able to generate more torque on your outlet passes. This is especially important for shorter goalies who may not have enough strength to generate long passes on their own. Extra shaft length can also help you pick off passes from opposing attackmen who are playing behind the net.
Having a longer shaft may also help balance your stick, so you’ll be able to stay on your toes without fear of losing your balance.
Lastly, making sure your positioning is correct is important. Having a longer shaft makes it easier for a goalie to check his position between the pipes. Any goalie would agree that checking your posts is key to making sure you’re ready to stop the next shot.
Benefits of shorter shafts
The biggest benefit of having a shorter shaft is that it reduces the weight of your stick. A lightweight stick allows a goalie to react more quickly. Also, if you’re a goalie who likes to run, a shorter shaft may be best for you. With a shorter shaft, it’s easier to dodge opponents and cradle the ball while running. If you’re still unsure what shaft length is right for you, it’s best to start long, and then go shorter. You can always cut down your shaft, but you can’t add length to it.
Related resources:
Should A Lacrosse Goalie Weight His/Her Stick For Practice?
When it comes to training lacrosse goalies (or any athlete for that matter) a common mistake is often made to weight the stick. The idea is that if an athlete is throwing something, moving something, kicking something…wouldn’t it be better if we made that thing…heavier?
Take the stick for instance. It’s no secret that in the Three Keys To Making Any Save the third key, Moving In Front Of The Ball takes the most time. And the main part that goalies tend to focus on is moving the stick and usually with just their arms…
So you might think it makes sense to make that stick heavier. And you wouldn’t be completely wrong. Just partially wrong.
Bodybuilding Mentality Doesn’t Always Apply To Explosive Lacrosse Goalies
A simple weight room mentality would have you think, “Well, if I can move a heavier weight I’ll get stronger than if I moved a lighter weight. ” And you’re right…sort of. Because the one variable people forget is…how fast are you moving that lighter weight?
To a young goalie, a lacrosse goalie stick is heavy to begin with. It’s longer than a short stick. It’s got more plastic because of the larger head and it has more mesh in that head too. Actually it has a lot more mesh. (Probably three times the mesh of a short stick.)
Not to mention that most goalie sticks kids first start using have a cheap 6000 Aluminum shaft on them and they are even more cumbersome. Heavy. And a small body just can’t move them very fast. So now you take a young/new lacrosse goalie and tell them to move in front of the ball with that stick and it’s like they are trying to move that stick through mud. Not a recipe for being explosive.
You Don’t Want To Make Your Lacrosse Goalie Slower…Do You?
So what you have is the most explosive athlete on the field moving like a dinosaur through a tar pit. Not good.
Not to mention that just the shear weight of the goalie stick puts the wrong muscles on load. Just holding the stick in the air puts a lot of pressure on the front of the deltoids and the biceps. Not to mention the upper back and the low back.
But when we want to move explosively to the ball we need to recruit the muscles deep in our hips as well as many of the rotational muscles deep in our core. (I know, I know…this is getting a little technical.)
Lastly, to move explosively in front of the ball we have to use more of our pecs and triceps to drive our hands through and to the ball and not those delts that are trying to hold that stick in the air.
A Goalie Stick May Already Be Too Heavy For Your Goalie
So with this stick already being heavy, it’s not really a recipe for wiring in good technique but what do uninformed coaches do? They fill the shaft with sand! Thinking, “Jimmy we are going to make this stick heavy so that when you dump the sand out the stick is going to feel light.”
Now that’s partially true. That stick will feel light, for a little while. It’s a neurological trick kind of like laying on the floor and having someone pull your arms behind you for a minute. When they let your arms down slowly it feels like your arms are moving through the floor. It feels like it’s happening but it’s really not true.
In the case of this lacrosse goalie, they might feel like the stick is light for a minute or so, but all they’ve done is wired in moving really slowly to the ball with that heavy stick.
So Should You Weight Your Lacrosse Goalie Stick?
My fast answer for this is, no. Remember, it’s all about progression.
Think of it this way…you’re not going to move a twenty pound dumbbell fast if you can’t move a five pound dumbbell fast. So loading up at this point doesn’t make a lot of sense.
Advice For Young/New Lacrosse Goalies
For some young or new lacrosse goalies, playing faster in the cage with a short stick may be a better idea for a while. If they are moving it with a good pace, and you can see that their hips and their knees can handle the weight and move explosively then you can add some weight to THAT stick while they take shots in warm ups.
Let them use the goalie stick for the rest of practice to get used to the weight of it. Have them work on long passing, but if it looks like it weighs a thousand pounds in their hands, you’re not doing any favours for them neurologically.
Advice For Older/Stronger Lacrosse Goalies
I was first introduced to what I’m about to tell you by a very hard-to-find book called “Thrown Free” about an East German discus athlete. In that book, and in many other books on elite training I read later, I learned that in sports like discus, and javelin and shot put, they would add weight to those implements for training.
But not a lot.
We’re not talking pounds, we’re talking grams. The equivalent of the tiny lead weights you might used to weight down a fishing hook.
So if an advanced goalie is moving the stick explosively, and I see that they aren’t breaking down in their hips or at the knee, I might add weight to the stick but only in a certain sequence. To be honest, only my most advanced Coaching Clients might use this technique, but occasionally it’s worth a try.
A word of warning though. You can really mess up a goalie neurologically if you don’t take extreme care in how you apply this technique. As a goalie we need to remain “twitchy”. Fast. Explosive. Messing with that formula can set you back to a point you don’t recover.
My Recommendation
Many times I get these questions from goalies or parents of young goalies trying to get their goalie better…faster. But my advice tends to be the same…
There are many other places to spend your time with your goalie. Instead of weighting the stick why not ask, can my lacrosse goalie do ten, solid, three second down and three second up push ups? If not…get that kid in the weight room and get him or her stronger.
This isn’t a new idea by any means. In fact, I first blogged about this topic of weighting a lacrosse goalie stick last year.
90,000 Goalkeeper (Boxing Lacrosse) – gaz.wiki
In boxing lacrosse, the goalkeeper is usually more armored than the field lacrosse goalkeeper. Lacrosse goalkeeper boxers are known for their massive upper body gear, large shin guards known as “irons” and ice hockey-style helmets. [1]
Sticks and gloves
Diagram of the Mitchell Brothers wooden lacrosse goalkeeper stick.
Today’s boxing goalkeepers use three types of lacrosse sticks.Traditional wooden sticks that are made from long strips of wood and pockets woven from leather and lace. [4] This variation dates back to the roots of the game and is still popular with amateur goalkeepers (senior, junior and junior), but is expensive with new clubs priced between C $ 250 and C $ 400. [5] Another long-standing club type is the NCAA stick. [6] Much smaller and takes up less space between the legs, the NCAA head is much easier to control the ball. [7] The newest brand of golf clubs – the “angle triangle”. [6] NCAA-style stick-like materials, the angle triangle is the size of a wooden stick, but NCAA-style lightweight. This style becomes very popular at junior and junior levels, but is banned in the National Lacrosse League. NLL goalkeepers usually use NCAA sticks. [8]
Although many goalkeepers traditionally wear hockey gloves to protect their hands from high velocity impacts [9] [10], many goalkeepers have switched to specialized gloves made specifically for boxing lacrosse.On the goalkeeper’s free hand, there is a risk of injury to the back of the hand, finger joints and wrist as a result of a strong impact. Lacrosse goalkeeper gloves have an extra layer of padding on the outside of the glove to ward off dangerous shots. This extra padding is found on both gloves and also serves to protect the inside of the hockey wrist, which is often exposed in a squat position when wearing hockey gloves as a lacrosse goalkeeper.At the same time, lacrosse goalkeeper gloves are essential to give the goalkeeper wrist mobility when he has to hold the ball. [11]
Helmets
Box goalkeepers wear two different types of helmets. One type is a standard field lacrosse helmet, the other is an ice hockey mask. Field Masks [12] have heavily reinforced face masks, as thick as the crossbars on a football helmet, and offer a wider range of vision than hockey masks.Field helmets provide little protection to the throat area. Hockey mask padding [13] can be molded on the user’s head for comfort. Very easy to remove, quick to remove and shaped specifically for shock absorption. In addition, despite the narrowing of the user’s field of vision, it actively protects the throat area from direct impacts. In recent years, baseball catchers-style masks have been proposed as a medium between two types of helmets. [14]
At a secondary level, most goalkeepers are required to wear throat protectors or “cow traps” [15], which are attached to the helmet to provide additional coverage for the throat and neck area. [16]
Protection for legs
Examples of legs. The left one is typical for the 2000s and 2010s, the right one is for the 1990s.
Leg guards or shackles [17] for lacrosse have undergone a significant evolution since the early days of the sport. Early goalkeepers wore cricket courts made of thin but stiff padding and thick fabric material. [18] Eventually they became a cross between a cricket foot guard and a baseball catcher. [ citation needed ] Like cricket, the irons are closed above the knees, but have an exoskeleton made of molded plastic caps and shin plates to deflect shots and leave less or no bruising like baseball. In the 2000s and 2010s, the rule of thumb for these last sizes was put to the test as the market for new lacrosse goalkeeper equipment emerged. Irons grew in width until it was argued that they were no longer intended to protect the shin, but mainly to cover more mesh.In the end, there was a retaliation: the Canadian Lacrosse Association and its partners set limits on the width of the shin guard. [19]
Top and trousers
The goalkeeper trains, demonstrating modern boxing shoes.
Until about 2005, the distribution and price of lacrosse top cushions were extremely restrictive. Before that, goalkeepers were mainly engaged in “build-up”. Build-ups were common practice, with the goalkeeper buying a set of hockey hats and completing them.Hockey tops generally do not have sufficient padding to protect against downward bumps or upward bounces in rebound shots, so materials and other equipment were often added to protect against them, [20] in including: football lineman shoulder pads, hockey shoulder pads, kidney pads, baseball belly pads, PVC sectional tubing (also used in old lacrosse pads) and thick chunks of styrofoam. These improvements were added not only to increase the size of the goalkeeper’s upper body, but also to increase their safety, comfort, and still have to remain mobile. [20]
Ice hockey goalie pants commonly used in boxing lacrosse.
Since about 2005, the Canadian Lacrosse Association has required one-piece, unmodified chest protectors for all of its goalkeepers. Because of the price, the lacrosse team or small organization often pays the bill for this expensive equipment. The permissible top should protrude from the shoulders at any point only three and four inches in the arms. [21]
In terms of pants, the goalkeeper boxer usually wears hockey pants or a specially modified version of the hockey pants to accommodate airflow. [9]
Other equipment
- Goalkeeper Athlete: Because of the danger of rebound shots, goalkeepers usually wear goalkeeper sports equipment and a bowl for protection. The Goalkeeper Athletic Shorts provide ample padding to the lower abdomen and genitals while still providing sufficient undercarriage protection to ward off the most dangerous rebound hits.
- Shoes: Most goalkeepers wear regular trainers. Goalkeepers need mobility to run and grip to stay on the floor in a stance, which can be provided by a good pair of shoes.Toe guards are generally not required as leg shackles provide very long and wide leg guards.
- Underwear: As in ice hockey, wearing underwear under your playing equipment reduces the chance of skin infections in cuts and scrapes. It also provides a layer that protects the skin from damage when a strong shot finds a “exposed patch” of skin. Traditionally, goalkeepers have worn shorts and T-shirts or long underwear, but in recent years, sweat-soaked clothing has been designed to better suit the needs of athletes.
A lacrosse boxing goalkeeper may play in any area of the playing surface and is not restricted to any area. [22] Despite this, the boxing goalkeeper has a crease all over the net. Defenders can enter this area to pick up a loose ball, but cannot enter it while in possession of the ball. The attackers cannot enter the penalty area. At minor levels and some minor leagues this includes the vertical crease plane, but at junior A levels, high and professional levels, the player is often allowed to enter the vertical plane while shooting or bouncing, as long as his feet or body are not touching the paint creases on the floor. …Such a performance is called “fold dive”. [23]
Occasionally, a lacrosse boxing goalkeeper runs up and joins the offensive zone on a slow whistle or delayed penalty, but the goalkeeper is usually pulled and replaced by an outfield player. Boxed lacrosse goalkeepers are known to sometimes score goals for their team in power play or slow whistling situations. In addition, due to the unique lack of offside rules in boxing lacrosse, it is not uncommon to see a goalkeeper lead his scoring team on the tables through multiple passes, usually through long passes to teammates trying to pull away from unsuspecting defenders.Boxing lacrosse goalkeepers are also advised to aggressively play checkers around the ball and, if necessary, violently cross checkers (in boxing lacrosse, cross control is allowed). [24] If the goalkeeper leaves the court in possession of the ball, the opponents are allowed to cross-control the goalkeeper unless there is an attempt to inflict injury.
Boxing lacrosse goalkeepers play in front of a four-by-four-foot net at most levels, as opposed to a field goalkeeper who plays in front of a six-by-six net. [3] The National Lacrosse League, Major and Junior A levels use a net four feet high and four feet nine inches wide. [25]
The boxing goalkeeper challenges the corner shooter in the main stance. The equipment is typical of the early 2000s.
Playing at goal in box lacrosse is more like playing at goal in ice hockey than playing lacrosse on field. [26] The goalkeeper stance is similar to the ice hockey goalkeeper. The goalkeeper crouched down, but his knees were apart, and not pinched, as in hockey.Heels are shoulder-width apart, and the toes are usually pointed outward so that you can enter the frame. One hand sits on the top of the thigh, holding the club in a position that covers the five holes (the area between the legs), and the other hand rests or is propped up in the area between the waistline and the outside of the top. hip. The elbow is extended forward, ready to swing towards a high kick. [27] [28]
The two main styles of goalkeeper play in boxing lacrosse are stick play and stem play.Club play or positional style is to stay at an angle with the shooter’s stick, challenging the shooter by going up to him to limit the amount of net he can see and use his size to his advantage to block the shot. [29] [30] Kickback or rebound is when the goalkeeper stays on the inside of the post on the same side of the shooter as the shooter, deliberately giving him the opposite side. This gives the shooter a shot from the wrong angle, which the goalkeeper tries to get him to take.When a player shoots, the goalkeeper will move quickly and cover the other side of the net and block the shot. [29] This style can be very effective but can fall prey to fake shots. [29]
National Lacrosse League (1987 – present)
The best goalkeepers of modern NLL.
Lacrosse main series (1932-1987)
The best goalkeepers OLA and NLL (1974-75) before the founding of modern NLL. These listed goalkeepers have either won top honors in their Major Leagues or have led their team to the Mann Cup Final.
- Pete Anthony
- Pat Baker
- Tim Barry
- Grant Brick
- Wayne Collie
- Doug Favell
- Ted Jerney
- Ted Hall
- Freep Harrison
- Bill MacArthur
- Merv Marshall
- Barry Maruk
- Bob McCready
- Ernie Mitchell
- Bill Moreau
- Ray Mortimer
- Wayne Platt
- Gary Pauless
- Bob Romer
- Dave Russell
- Bob Savage
- Ron “Ham” Thomas
- Jim Thompson
- Joe Tomchishin
- Sean Quinlan
- Bill Whittaker
- Harry Woods
- Lloyd “Moon” Wootton
Western Lacrosse Association (1933-1987)
The best goalkeepers of the west coast before the founding of modern NLL.These listed goalkeepers have either won top honors in their Major Leagues or have led their team to the Mann Cup Final.
- Bill Andrews
- Pete Anthony
- Henry Baker
- Rod Banister
- Skip Chapman
- Joe Como
- Herb Delmonico
- Dave Evans
- Barry Forbes
- Fred Fulla
- Jack Green
- Don Hamilton
- Geordie Johnston
- Ed Johnston
- Stan Joseph
- Walt Lee
- Gary McLaughlin
- Norm Nestman
- Les Norman
- Gordy Pogue
- Harry Preston
- Sean Quinlan
- Merv Schweitzer
- Bill Scooby
- Alf Shuker
- Larry Smelzer
- Hap Smith
- Bill Thomas
- Greg Thomas
- Doug Zack
90,000 Czech national team players trained lacrosse goals before the match against Russia at the 2021 World Cup
On May 21, the 2021 Ice Hockey World Championship starts in Latvia.The national teams of the Czech Republic and Russia will play in the opening match of the tournament. Perhaps, for the first time in many years, our team is not among the main contenders for the gold medals of the world championship. In the application of the Russian national team, there are 16 debutants of the world championship at once, and a number of positions in the team Valery Bragin raises certain questions.
The composition of the Russian national team for the World Cup – 2021. Waiting for Kaprizov and the goalkeeper from the NHL
In turn, the Czech national team arrived in Riga, having managed to collect a very decent roster.The Czech squad includes Detroit’s leading attacking defender Philip Groneck , his teammate and the sixth NHL pick in 2018, forward Philip Zadina , Stanley Cup winner with Washington, and now another Red Wings player forward Jakub Vrana , one of the Rangers’ key centers Philip Heathil and the second Chicago sniper in the last NHL regular season Dominik Kubalik . The first number of the Czech national team is the freshly baked Gagarin Cup goalkeeper Avangard Shimon Grubets , and the central axis of the attack is cemented by one of the best players in the history of the KHL, the forward of Swiss Zug Jan Kovar.
Provorov is the leader of the Russian national team, the Czechs have a very strong attack. The main stars of the World Cup 2021
In my opinion, it is Philip Peshan’s wards who are among the main favorites of the upcoming world championship. The Czech team also showed its strength in the final match of the Eurotour, defeating the Russian team with a score of 4: 0. However, in that game, the opponents played far from optimal compositions. Tomorrow, the team rosters will already be absolutely fighting.
And the Czech team itself, it seems, felt like the favorite of the World Cup. On the eve of the Czech edition Hokej.cz in its YouTube channel published footage from one of the training sessions of the “people’s team”, where Jan Dufek , Karel Plasek and Matej Blumel competed in throws in the style of Mikael Granlund. In 2011, the Finnish forward scored a lacrosse goal against the goalkeeper of the Russian national team Konstantin Barulin in the semifinals of the World Cup, writing one of the most memorable pages in the history of the tournament.
Plasek turned out to be the most successful in the Czech training, with all five attempts. Blumel was one accurate shot behind his teammate, while Dufek was able to perform only one attempt out of five. After the end of the competition, the losing hockey players, under the watchful eye of the winner, performed push-ups, traditional for such competitions.
However, 20-year-old Plaszek will definitely not use his skills tomorrow. The young Czech, along with 24-year-old Dufek, was not included in the final composition of his national team.But the 20-year-old forward of Dynamo (Pardubice) Blumel went to the tournament in Riga, and many fans of the Czech team in the comments hope to see a goal in the style of “lacrosse” from Matei at the world championship. So the Russian goalkeeper Alexander Samonov needs to remain vigilant when Blumel is behind his goal with the puck.
Source
Share news
90,000 as poker and Michkov’s lacrosse goal helped Russia defeat Germany at the JWCHM – RT in Russian
The Russian national team defeated Germany in the group stage match of the Junior World Ice Hockey Championship – 6: 1.The main hero of the confrontation was Matvey Michkov. At the beginning of the second period, he scored a stunning lacrosse goal. Later, the striker sent the puck into the opponent’s goal three more times and issued the first poker in the tournament. Danila Yurov and Ilya Kvochko also scored goals in the national team.
An ambiguous start for the Russian national team
The junior world championship began ambiguously for the Russian national team. On the one hand, she won an incredible victory over the United States – 7: 6.During the match, Albert Leshchev’s wards were inferior with a score of 1: 5, but made an impressive comeback and put the squeeze on the opponent in overtime thanks to Nikita Chibrikov’s puck. It is also necessary to note Matvey Michkov and Ivan Miroshnichenko, who issued the double.
However, the very next day the situation was repeated for the domestic team exactly the opposite in the confrontation with Finland. Three minutes before the end of regular time, she was leading with a difference of two goals – 3: 1, but managed to miss twice and was weaker in the shootout.This time Russia was not saved by either Fedor Svechkov’s double, Chibrikov’s next goal, or Sergei Ivanov’s 52 saves. The defeat threw the team to third place in Group B.
In the next match, the team was to face a less strong rival – Germany. The Germans did not score a single point in the first two games. First, they lost to the Czech Republic – 1: 3, and then the USA – 3: 5. But it was by no means possible to consider the Bundestim as whipping boys, because in the same meeting with the North Americans they looked decent and created problems for the venerable opponent to the end.
However, based on the statistics of the opposition of the teams at the YChM, Leshchev’s wards could still be called clear favorites. It is enough that within the framework of the tournament Russia lost to Germany only once – at the championship of the planet nine years ago in the Czech Republic (2: 4). Then the domestic squad with difficulty reached the quarterfinals, where they could not cope with Canada, but in the meeting for the fifth place they took a convincing revenge from the Germans – 4: 1.
Difficult first period
The Russian national team started the match very actively and practically did not let the opponent out of the zone in the first three minutes.However, Miroshnichenko let the team down, who earned an optional removal. The Germans attacked rather timidly, but gradually got a taste and began to fire at the Ivanov gate. Fortunately, Sergei, as in the previous meeting, acted as reliably as possible. In particular, he coped with a dangerous shot by Roman Tsap from the left throw-in circle and an unpleasant throw by Thomas Heigl.
Towards the middle of the period Leshchev’s wards again seized the initiative and began to create chances in the possession of Nikita Kvappa.At the same time, they tried to demonstrate beautiful combination hockey. But a counterattack brought them success in the tenth minute. The Russians pressed the opponent on the left side, took the puck from him and made a striking thrust. Svechkov from behind the gate made a perfect pass to Danila Yurov, and he could not miss the far corner. For the striker, this goal was the second in the tournament.
Moreover, even before the break, Yurov could well have increased the advantage of his team in the long run, but did not take advantage of two chances at once.At first, he did not realize an almost identical moment – the Germans were saved by Kwapp – and then, in the majority, he miraculously did not close his partner’s cross from a penny. As for the German national team, it tried to catch the opponent on counterattacks, but often long passes by the Bundestim into a foreign zone led only to forwarding.
Successful segment from Leshchev’s charges
The Russians spent the second period an order of magnitude better than the first. It started for them with Michkov’s stunning lacrosse goal.The attacker received the puck outside the goal and, without meeting proper resistance, threw it exactly into the near nine from a negative angle. Kwapp was completely unprepared for this.
Also on the topic
Unnecessary send-offs and unrealized shootouts: how the Russian national team lost to Finland at the YUCHM-2021 hockey, winning 3: 1
The Russian national team lost to the Finnish team in the group stage match of the junior ice hockey world championship.After two periods …
The Germans were demoralized by what happened, while Leshchev’s wards, on the contrary, inspired them. They pushed the opponent to the goal and began to create moment after moment. So, Prokhor Poltapov almost became the author of another great goal. In the left circle of the throw-in, he beautifully removed the defender at speed and was close to deceiving the goalkeeper, but he still managed to close the far corner with a shield.
But the Germans were unable to cope with Michkov that evening.On the 28th minute he managed to distinguish himself again. The hockey player picked up the projectile after rebounding from the goalkeeper and from a fairly sharp angle sent it into the net with a rebound from Kwapp. Following Poltapov, he missed another great opportunity – he did not realize a one-on-one exit.
In the end, the young hockey players of the German national team began to lose their nerves, which resulted in a gross violation of the rules by Ryan Bettahar. The defender in a foreign zone near the board conducted a dirty power technique against Poltapov, who did not even see his opponent approaching him.Fortunately, there were no injuries, but the referees gave the German a match penalty.
And the same Michkov punished them. At the end of a long majority, he sent the puck into the net with an unusual throw between the legs from the right throw-in circle and scored a hat-trick. Surprisingly, Ivanov managed to check in with a plus sign, although he practically did not have a job. At the end of the period, the guests earned a bullet, but Tsap could not beat the goalkeeper.
Offensive puck for Ivanov
The final 20-minute began for Leshchev’s team with a send-off.Vladimir Grudinin got two minutes. However, the Germans not only failed to realize the majority, but almost missed. Svechkov flew into someone else’s zone at speed, drove around the goal and almost sent the puck into the near corner.
But in equal compositions, Russia was unstoppable. The debutant of the tournament, 17-year-old Ilya Kvochko, performed a cross to the far post against Michkov, and the shell ended up in the net. At first it seemed that Matvey hit the other goal again, but then it turned out that the last was the opponent who touched the puck, and it was recorded on Kvochko.
But Michkov still designed his poker. Shortly before the final siren, he received an excellent pass from Alexander Figurin and immediately sent a shell into the far corner. Thus, Matvey became the first hockey player who managed to hit the opponent’s goal four times in a match within the framework of the YChM-2021 In total, he now has six goals in his assets.
The only fly in the ointment for the Russian national team was Connor Corte’s effective throw with a score of 5: 0. Ivanov was close to holding the meeting to zero, but he still missed one time.The rest of the domestic hockey players can only be praised. They did not leave a strong enough opponent a single chance and won the tournament for the second time. And on Saturday, the Russians will play the last game of the group stage – with the Czech Republic.
Shumakov: lacrosse goals – on stream! TOP-10 of the week: News: Kontinental Hockey League (KHL)
On KHL.ru – the winners of the second week in the nominations “Best Goal”, “Best Save” and “Best Power Move”.
TOP-10 goals
German Shaporev from Kunlun Red Star made his debut in the KHL only on 6 September.And already on the 12th, in his fourth match, he scored a double and got into our hit parade with one of the goals. Together with Shaporev, it is worth noting an impressive race and an effective pass by Sergei Monakhov . In ninth place is Pavel Datsyuk . In principle, it is impossible to make mistakes in your zone, and even more so if the Wizard is there at this time. Kunlun striker Andrey Kruchinin felt this on himself. As a slight consolation, I saw the famous wrist throw of the master. For Datsyuk, this goal was the first of the season.Finally, Andre Petersson , who moved from Dynamo to Lokomotiv in the offseason, reminded of himself. A double in a meeting with Traktor, one of the goals was excellent in execution: the Swede abruptly changes directions, the opponent’s defense is confused, the puck is in the goal. Seventh in the TOP-list Miro Aaltonen and Linden Way . The Finn’s throw from SKA is beautiful, but the pass from the Canadian between the legs behind the back is simply a masterpiece. The sixth position is also an army duo, this time from CSKA. And here Sergei Andronov only has to not miss – the puck, as if magnetized, comes to the hook of his stick after the transfer of by Maxim Mamin .
On the fifth place it is quite possible to place the entire link of Riga “Dynamo”, which has drawn up an ideal combination in the zone, but only one is sent to represent the team in the TOP – Lauris Darzins . The fourth position is taken by Barys forward Nikita Mikhailis , who seems to have put individual passes through the entire site on the stream. This time “Kunlun” suffered from it. The third position is Mikko Lehtonen from Jokerit with his impressive “dance” with the puck in the “Torpedo” zone and the final throw from an uncomfortable hand.The second position – Anton Burdasov from SKA. A goal as beautiful, so necessary, in fact, decided the outcome of the match against Torpedo. Here is the pressure, and dribbling, and filigree technique! The winner of the second week is Sergey Shumakov . Lacrosse goals seem to be the hallmark of the Vanguard striker, and the number of clubs he has scored from outside the goal with the puck on the stick will undoubtedly grow. Last week Shumakov added Amur to his collection.
TOP-10 saves
Opening the top ten Jakub Kovarzh – Avtomobilist’s goalkeeper became the best in his role at the end of the first week, the salvation in the match against Kunlun is impressive. So what if the score is already 7: 0 in favor of the Urals? A reliable game of goalkeepers is now very necessary for “Amur” – the team is performing unsuccessfully. And Marek Langhamer helps out as best he can. For example, he wins close combat over from Magnitogorsk Maxim Karpov . The award is the ninth place in the hit parade.Lokomotiv goalkeeper Ilya Konovalov confirms the high class, effectively catching the puck after the throw of Dynamo’s Daniil Tarasov and gets to the eighth position. Another Dynamo player – Oscar Lindberg – quickly masters the KHL, but so far he cannot hit the gate. The Swede was closest to this in the match against Barys, but the goalkeeper Yoni Ortio , demonstrating miracles of reaction and stretching, is of a different opinion. He is in seventh place. On the sixth place – the goalkeeper of “Jokerit” Anders Lindbeck averts the danger from his goal after a one-on-one turn from torpedo Timur Sharifyanov .
A rare case – two positions in a row for one player. Spartak player Nikita Bespalov withstood the hail of shots from Dynamo, including the last one – point-blank from Daniil Tarasov , and in the match against Salavat Yulaev, already lying on the ice, did not allow opponents to push the puck into the goal. Spartak won both matches, and his goalkeeper occupied the fifth and fourth lines of the TOP-10. The third position is taken by the goalkeeper of “Traktor” Roman Will with enviable kick skills, which his football colleagues would probably envy.The second place belongs to the goalkeeper of “Neftekhimik” Evgeny Ivannikov , who does not even care about a two-in-one performance performed by SKA. At the top – Juho Olkinuora from Metallurg, who could not be whirled around by the Avangard strikers. Finn knows exactly where the puck will come to set the trap and make the main save of the second week.
TOP-10 hits
Opening the five David Sklenichka , powerfully preventing Andrey Chivilev from Nizhnekamsk from his zone on the blue line.Usually, in matches with Dynamo, everyone looks at Andrei Mironov, but this time the mill was performed by Spartak player – Andrei Zubarev effectively and effectively stopped the passage of Dmitry Yashkin . The Minsk resident Ivan Drozdov, who sent Nikita Lyamkin from Ak Bars, breaks into the TOP, and immediately to the third line. On the second line Vladimir Pervushin from “Siberia”, at speed removing from the patch of the forward “Kunlun Red Star” Ivan Nikolishin .On the first line unexpectedly turns out to be 21-year-old Bulat Motygullin from Neftekhimik, for whom, as it turned out, there are no authorities, and he can throw anyone on the bench from the ice, be it even the most experienced Viktor Antipin from SKA.
90,000 This problem has no concrete solution
The goalkeeper of a number of KHL teams and the Russian national team Konstantin Barulin speculated on the topic of lacrosse goals.
– Exactly ten years ago, at the World Championships in Slovakia in the semifinals against Finland, you missed the lacrosse goal from Mikael Granlund.This abandoned puck was later recognized as the most beautiful in the history of world hockey championships. But the most interesting thing about this story is that this goal did not appear on you with a stigma. Moreover, in the minds of all hockey lovers, you became, as it were, an accomplice in the creation of a masterpiece. I agree?
– We, the goalkeepers, have such a share that no matter how you play, the puck will still find its way into the goal. This is the meaning of the hockey game. And only in Russia they will point fingers at you and say at every corner: “I missed, I missed, I missed.”In the West, the fans have a completely different perception of the goal. The emphasis is solely on the athlete who has played well. There they will say – it was not the goalkeeper who conceded, but the striker scored. True, after that tournament, people in Europe constantly come up to me and offer me photographs for an autograph, which show exactly the episode with Granlund’s goal at my goal. But I never sign these cards.
– Why?
– This is my principled position.
– I know that a postage stamp was issued in Finland dedicated to this goal.
– And as soon as it happened, Mikael Granlund called me right away
– To apologize?
– No. He offered to sue the manufacturers for using our images without our consent.
– Amazing Finnish practicality. So how did that story end?
– We began to find out with the help of lawyers what we can do, but it turned out that the manufacturer received permission to issue a stamp with our image from the International Ice Hockey Federation.
– It turns out that the money again went to the organization headed by Mr. Fasel?
– I have no idea, but, as they explained to us, before every tournament organized by the IIHF, all hockey players sign up for the use of video and photo images of their participation.
– Do I understand correctly that you and Granlund did not communicate anymore?
– No.
– What can you say about his younger brother Markus, who plays for Salavat Yulaev this season and whom you did not allow to hit your goal on November 25 last year in the KHL regular championship game?
– It is clear that by KHL standards both Granlund Jr. and Temu Hartikainen are superstars.It’s not just that both of them are in the top five most productive hockey players in the championship. After Linus Umark left for Switzerland, many were skeptical about the continuation of the extravaganza performed by the first Ufa link. However, with the arrival of Markus, the performance of the leading three “Salavat Yulaev” did not decrease. He managed to replace the skilled Swede, and it was oh, how difficult it was to do it.
– You finally figured out how the goalkeeper should act in order not to miss this ill-fated lacrosse goal?
– There is no specific solution to this problem and here’s why.If we reconsider the goal performed by Granlund, we will notice that he was not in a static position outside the goal, but was moving at a decent speed. The fact is that he did not need to lift the puck, because, by chance, she herself successfully lay on the hook of his club. As a result, he performed everything brilliantly, and the action itself in his performance took no more than two seconds. In this situation, I really had no chance of salvation. At the same time, if we consider similar washers performed by the same Andrei Svechnikov, then he is just at first located outside the goal, raises the puck and only then brings it into the goal.With such actions of the striker, the goalkeeper, in theory, has a chance of salvation. At the same time, each goalkeeper uses his own developments to solve this problem, – said the hockey player.
In the third victorious match of Avangard Omsk, Shumakov still scored a lacrosse goal
On Monday, September 7, Avangard Omsk won the third consecutive victory in the KHL regular championship in Balashikha. This time the speed and pressure of the “hawks” could not stand the Khabarovsk “tigers”.
Gates of Omsk coaches in the third match in a row entrusted to protect Emil Garipov.”Cupid” sent a birthday boy – Evgeny Kiselev, who turned 23 on September 7th.
This birthday will surely be remembered by the young goalkeeper for a long time, because during the meeting the coaches were forced to replace him with an understudy – Evgeny Alikin due to the abundance of missed pucks. However, the replacement also got it.
Omsk residents did not leave the unyielding Far East any chance to win back that evening. Goals for the hawks were scored by Reed Boucher, Pavel Dedunov, Oliver Kaski, Sergei Shumakov, his namesake Sergei Tolchinsky, Jiri Sekach and Ville Pokka.
Sergey Shumakov scored a double with a lacrosse goal, putting the puck on the hook of his stick at speed and bringing it from behind the goal behind the Cupid’s goalkeeper. In principle, goalkeepers cannot reflect such a puck, because everything is done very quickly and accurately.
Only a true master can score such a goal. Sergei tried to score a lacrosse goal in every match from the start of the regular season. In the game with “Cupid” he managed to confirm his class. The final score of the meeting is 8: 2 in favor of the Omsk team.
By the way, there was another birthday boy on the site that evening. And not just a birthday man, but a hero of the day. The head coach of the Hawks, Bob Hartley, turned 60 this evening. OMSKREGION joins all the warm words addressed to the coach of Omsk Avangard and wishes him only victories with our team.
“I am very pleased with today’s game, but at the same time I want to praise the opponent:“ Cupid ”has a difficult situation, there are only nine defenders in the squad, and many guys are just returning from the coronavirus.Therefore, in the first period we saw how they fought, this team is always fighting. In the second, their energy has diminished, and in the third, they “ran out of gasoline.” But this does not detract from our merits: I am happy with the way the guys acted, we played great in the majority, we moved the puck around the court well. Overall, it turned out to be a very good game. I dedicate today’s victory to my good friend Brad McCrimmon. He was my assistant at Atlanta, he was always very focused, purposeful, always wanted to become a head coach, and so he managed to break into the KHL.We all know that nine years have passed since the tragedy, and we all remember it very well. We dedicate this victory to Brad and the whole Lokomotiv, ” – said Bob Hartley after the game.
After the victorious home streak of games, Avangard set off to travel to Magnitogorsk and Ufa. The first away match will be played by Omsk in Magnitka on September 11.
read also
Russian hockey players beat Germany at the World Cup
The Russian U18 junior team (players under 18) won their second victory at the World Hockey Championship in the USA and guaranteed themselves a place in the playoffs.Our team, all of whose players participated in the sports programs of the Sirius Educational Center, beat German hockey players with a score of 6: 1. The main hero of the meeting was 16-year-old striker Matvey Michkov, who scored a lacrosse goal and made poker – he scored four goals.
Already in the fourth minute of the first period, Ivan Miroshnichenko received a two-minute penalty for the bandwagon, but the Russians fought back and started active operations in the opponent’s zone. Danila Yurov opened the scoring in the 12th minute.At the end of the period, the Germans remained in the minority, but the Russian team was unable to take advantage of this.
The second dvadtsatiminutka became a benefit performance for Matvey Michkov, who scored a hat-trick in one period. Already at the beginning of the segment, the forward was outside the opponent’s goal, lifted the puck on the hook of the stick and squeezed it under the crossbar, performing a lacrosse goal. Towards the middle of the match, Michkov scored a double: he was just in time to bounce the puck off the goalkeeper, paused and hit the target. Ryan Bettahar later received a disciplinary penalty and Michkov distinguished himself for the third time, scoring another beautiful puck with a throw from under his feet.
In the third period, Ilya Kvochko scored the puck against the German hockey players in the 47th minute. Nine minutes later, our goalkeeper Sergei Ivanov failed to save the goal: in the 55th minute, Connor Corte unsealed the goalkeeper, but the German team could not win back four goals. One and a half minutes before the final whistle, Matvey Michkov scored the fourth goal, having issued poker and becoming the hero of the meeting.
“The sensations are the most ordinary. The next games will be more important and more serious, it is already necessary to prepare for them.I didn’t even know I was in the lead in goals. The most important thing is that I bring benefits to the team, and it won, and personal indicators go by the wayside “, Matvey Michkov Championat.com quotes.
Having issued poker, Matvey Michkov repeated the record of the striker Ruslan Bashkirov, who managed to score four goals in Germany at the YChM-2006. The fourth and final match in the group stage of the tournament will be played by the Russian national team on May 2 at 00:00 against the Czech national team.
Thanks to the victory over Germany, the Russian juniors secured their way to the quarterfinals of the world championship.Also, according to the results of the matches, the teams of Belarus, Canada, the USA, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland and the Czech Republic got into ¼ of the tournament ahead of schedule.
.