Goaltending Butterfly Save Guidelines

The Butterfly save technique, made popular by professional goaltenders such as the great Patrick Roy, has come to be the predominate style among goalies. While this is a great technique to cover the lower part of the net, few goaltenders have the flexibility in the hips and knees to execute a full butterfly as demonstrated in the picture to the left. However don't hesitate to use it as effectively as your flexibility will allow. Statistics show that a majority of goals are scored along the ice, and butterfly save will prevent many of these goals even if it is not executed with the knees completely together.

1. Leave your stick flat on the ice, covering the area between your knees
   ("The five hole")
2. Spread your pads as far as you can to cover the corners of the net
3. Keep gloves up and out as you go down to the ice
4. Hold your chest, shoulders, and head high, square to the puck

This site was constructed as an exercise for an Internet Interfaces class at the School of Communication, Information, and Library Science SCILS in the MLS program at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

This site was designed with images and content available in;
From the Crease Magazine. GDI Publishing, Inc. BC, Canada.
Daccord, B. (1998). Hockey Goaltending. Windsor, On: Human Kinetics.

It is also based on years of personal experience of playing and watching hockey.
Questions and comments can be directed to Greg Byrne at byrnejg@scils.rutgers.edu