libterm.com A kick save is a critical technique used by goalkeepers in soccer to prevent the ball from entering the net by blocking a shot with their foot. Mastering this skill improves your reaction time and defensive capabilities during intense moments of the game. Discover how to perfect your kick save and enhance your overall goalkeeping performance in the rest of this article.
Table of Comparison
| Save Type | Definition | Key Technique | Best Used For | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kick Save | Goalkeeper deflects the ball using the foot or leg | Quick leg extension and foot contact | Low shots near the body or corners | Fast reaction for close-range shots | Limited reach, risk of rebound |
| Butterfly Save | Goalkeeper drops to knees, legs spread wide blocking low shots | Wide leg spread, low body position | Shots aimed at the lower part of the goal | Maximizes lower goal coverage | Reduced mobility for high shots |
Understanding Goaltending Techniques
Kick save relies on powerful leg movements to block low shots by extending the foot outward, effectively covering the lower part of the net. Butterfly save technique involves dropping to the knees while spreading the pads horizontally to create a barrier against shots aimed at the ice-level corners. Mastery of both methods allows goaltenders to adapt to varying shot angles and improve overall net protection.
What is a Kick Save?
A Kick Save is a fundamental ice hockey goaltending technique where the goalie uses their skate to deflect or stop a low shot by quickly extending the leg with a sharp kicking motion. This save maximizes lower-body agility and reaction time, effectively blocking shots aimed near the goal crease's ice surface. Unlike the Butterfly Save, which involves dropping to the knees to cover the lower net with pads, the Kick Save emphasizes rapid leg movement while maintaining an upright stance to redirect the puck away from scoring areas.
What is a Butterfly Save?
A Butterfly save is a goaltending technique in ice hockey where the goalie drops to their knees, spreading their leg pads outward to cover the lower portion of the net and block low shots effectively. This style prioritizes strong lateral movement and quick reflexes to close gaps between the legs, maximizing coverage of the puck's likely paths near the ice surface. Butterfly saves are crucial for stopping powerful shots aimed at the bottom corners of the goal, making them a fundamental skill for modern goaltenders.
Mechanics of the Kick Save
The mechanics of the kick save involve using the goalie's leg to deflect the puck away from the net, typically executed by extending the leg with the skate blade turned outward to block low shots. This technique relies on quick lateral movement and precise positioning to angle the kicker's leg effectively while maintaining balance on the other foot. The kick save's efficiency depends on the goalie's ability to time the extension accurately, combining leg strength and flexibility to redirect the puck without exposing the upper body.
Mechanics of the Butterfly Save
The butterfly save involves a goaltender dropping to their knees with pads splayed out to cover the lower net while relying heavily on quick lateral movements and strong core stability to maintain balance and control rebound direction. This technique maximizes ice coverage by expanding the leg pads horizontally, effectively blocking low shots and closing gaps between the legs, known as the five-hole. Compared to the kick save, which uses a single extended leg to deflect the puck, the butterfly save emphasizes a lower stance and pad positioning to reduce shooting angles and increase net coverage.
Advantages of Kick Saves
Kick saves offer enhanced reach and quick reaction times, allowing goalkeepers to deflect powerful shots with minimal hand movement. This technique enables rapid recovery for subsequent saves, making it effective in close-range situations. Kick saves also reduce hand fatigue, maintaining optimal performance during extended play.
Advantages of Butterfly Saves
Butterfly saves offer superior low shot coverage by enabling goalkeepers to drop quickly and spread their legs, effectively blocking the lower part of the net. This technique reduces the chances of rebounds, allowing better control of the puck and increasing save percentages in high-pressure situations. The butterfly style also minimizes exposure to high-velocity shots aiming at the ice, making it a preferred method in modern ice hockey goaltending.
Common Situations for Each Save
Kick saves are commonly used when goalkeepers face low, fast shots near the ground, as the quick foot movement effectively blocks the ball's trajectory. Butterfly saves are preferred in situations requiring maximum coverage of the lower goal area, especially during one-on-one confrontations or close-range shots aimed at the corners. Both techniques are essential for responding accurately to different shot types and angles in soccer matches.
Evolution of Save Techniques in Hockey
The evolution of save techniques in hockey highlights the transition from the kick save, which relies on a goalie dropping to one knee and using the skate to block low shots, to the butterfly save, where goalies drop both knees and use leg pads to cover the lower net area more effectively. This shift improved coverage of the net's lower portion, leveraging increased pad surface and agility to stop more shots. The butterfly style has become dominant in modern hockey due to its efficiency in minimizing scoring chances and adapting to faster shot speeds.
Kick Save vs Butterfly Save: Which Is More Effective?
Kick save and butterfly save are two fundamental goaltending techniques in ice hockey, each with distinct advantages in different game situations. Kick saves are more effective for quick, reactive stops close to the body, allowing goalies to use their pads to deflect low shots while maintaining mobility. Butterfly saves offer superior coverage of the lower net area by dropping to the knees, making them highly effective against power plays and strong, accurate shooters targeting the bottom corners.
Kick save Infographic
