Quote:
Originally Posted by CroFlames
I think its all hogwash.
If a shooter is under pressure, or battling in the slot, he's firing the puck as best he can toward the general direction of the net. He's not even concerned with where the goalie is.
If he's streaking and has a clear shot and view, the goalie gear isn't going to deter him from shooting at the corners anyway.
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I think the standing up ones are hogwash (ie: The net and post color one). Players are used to the positioning of the net and I believe instinctively use the posts and the side boards as reference points. .
However, if you had a bunch of black ovals in weird locations, when the goalie is down and there's a bit of scrum near the front of the net, this could potentially trick the player to swipe at a shape other than the puck. I've seen some players swipe at puck marks on pads before but I've never seen someone psyched out by the pads themselves when on a breakaway or whatever.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GrrlGoalie33
Here's an interesting 2019 article on the topic from nhl.com |
I think the psychology is that "it depends". Certain players who instinctively shoot around things they can see (ie: Player legs, around the pads etc.) this makes it easier for them. Certain players who overthink might focus on them for a moment and then accidentally shoot at the pads vs around it instead. Or if the goalie is having a hot night, being so distinct in color might make the goalie seem bigger and intimidate opposition players.