Rick is one of two rookie goalies in the league this year. As such i have left him towards the end to allow me to see more of his play. Picked by first time Captain Marc Guitard solely based on his performance in the rookie game, Rick has been proving his worth for the Sasquatches thus far. with a shut out in his very first appearance, Rick put the league on notice that he was a quality keeper. I can attest, after facing him several time this year, he was definitely worth the Marc’s gamble, or better yet faith in the new keeper.
Technique.
I find that the more goalies I analyze in the league, the more I find qualities I would love to have myself. Rick’s technique lacks the flash of some, but it gets the job done. Rick is what I call a quiet goalie. He doesn’t over commit to plays and he body movement is contained. He plays the odds with shots and allows the ball to hit him rather than attempting too many extravagant saves. A hybrid style goalie, his balanced technique allows him to control rebounds and limit 2nd chance opportunities.
Strengths
The first 2 strengths I list for Rick involve his time in the league. First, being a new goalie, shooters are unsure of his tendencies. With a league as close as the FBHL, this advantage has been known to carry a goalie well into a season. Shooters will search game after game for what could be a “weakness”. Second, and this one will be recognized by all other goalies in the league, is the advantage he has of not facing 2 of the best shooters in the game. With Marc Guitard and Bobby Woods firing shots the other way, Rick has the benefit of not facing them…at least until next season. Savor it Rick….it only gets worse… To be fair to Rick, I will actually list his true strength. Rebound control. In the games I have faced him, he allows very few 2nd chance opportunities. Continue this and success follows.
Weaknesses.
Well this might be the one some more dedicated shooters were waiting for. How do we beat Rick? Well the easy task for me is analyzing it, the more difficult part will be exposing it in a game. Rick’s quiet movements seem to be by design. When he gets down and scrambly, goals tend to be scored. This becomes more difficult with the type of game the Sasquatches play. Secondly, i have noticed that shots to the far posts tend to be a spot of concern. Rick isn’t the biggest goalie, and therefor doesn’t have the reach others would. So to all the would be snipers, pick corners and make the boy move.
Overall
Rick has only played just over half a season, and all be it on a very good team, he has at times needed to be the backbone. He doesn’t seem to feel the pressure and is very calm in the net. I see a good future for rick with consistent numbers. With his style and level head I anticipate him being a big game goalie that can fend off the onslaught in the playoffs..even if he doesn’t have to face 2 of the more gifted goal scores, he is very much up to the task of stopping the rest of the league.
Tony
