Goalies Best Friends: Goal Posts and Cross Bars?

[lomackman]

Why are goal posts and cross bars called the goalies best friends? If the puck hits either it was not going in the net and does not count even as a shot on goal.

[burd]

Why are goal posts and cross bars called the goalies best friends? If the puck hits either it was not going in the net and does not count even as a shot on goal.

Goalies are strange and live in a world with different rules. You should not expect anything about them to make sense. Leave them alone to their posts, crossbars and other strange friends.

[Big A HG]

Because if a puck hits the post or crossbar it means the shooter beat the goalie...sure it doesn't count for anything, but had it been a fraction closer to the net, it could have been a very different result.

For example, during Friday's UND/Wisconsin game, each goaltender got beat once. Gregoire beat Gudmanson for a goal, and a Badger (Smith?) beat Dell, but it hit crossbar. It could have been a very different game based on fractions of an inch.

[lomackman]

Because if a puck hits the post or crossbar it means the shooter beat the goalie...sure it doesn't count for anything, but had it been a fraction closer to the net, it could have been a very different result.

For example, during Friday's UND/Wisconsin game, each goaltender got beat once. Gregoire beat Gudmanson for a goal, and a Badger (Smith?) beat Dell, but it hit crossbar. It could have been a very different game based on fractions of an inch.

Yeah but it still would not have gone in the net so the shooter did not beat the goalie.

[J.B.]

Because if a puck hits the post or crossbar it means the shooter beat the goalie...sure it doesn't count for anything, but had it been a fraction closer to the net, it could have been a very different result.

For example, during Friday's UND/Wisconsin game, each goaltender got beat once. Gregoire beat Gudmanson for a goal, and a Badger (Smith?) beat Dell, but it hit crossbar. It could have been a very different game based on fractions of an inch.

Had it been a fraction closer to the net, Dell may have made the save. So essentially Dell did not get beat. Wisconsin does not get credit with a shot on net because Dell was not required to make a save to prevent a goal. I do get your point, but hitting a post does not mean you beat the goalie. Unless of course it hits the post then goes in the net.

[lomackman]

Had it been a fraction closer to the net, Dell may have made the save. So essentially Dell did not get beat. Wisconsin does not get credit with a shot on net because Dell was not required to make a save to prevent a goal. I do get your point, but hitting a post does not mean you beat the goalie. Unless of course it hits the post then goes in the net.

And like you said it hits the cros bar or post and goes in that seems like they are the goalies enemy and not a friend.

[Snake]

Yeah but it still would not have gone in the net so the shooter did not beat the goalie.

Can you name me a goalie that can differentiate between a shot that's going to hit the crossbar/post and one that's going to go into the net? They try to stop BOTH; therefore they have been BEATEN!!!

[J.B.]

Can you name me a goalie that can differentiate between a shot that's going to hit the crossbar/post and one that's going to go into the net? They try to stop BOTH; therefore they have been BEATEN!!!

Obviously Aaron Dell Friday night in Wisconsin.

[Sodbuster]

So if the post/crossbar is the goalie's best friend maybe it said something to Craig Smith that made him react the way he did.

[Big A HG]

Had it been a fraction closer to the net, Dell may have made the save. So essentially Dell did not get beat. Wisconsin does not get credit with a shot on net because Dell was not required to make a save to prevent a goal. I do get your point, but hitting a post does not mean you beat the goalie. Unless of course it hits the post then goes in the net.

In Dell's case it would have been a goal. The puck went between his head and his glove with plenty of room to spare to his shoulder. It was a matter of an inch that prevented the goal.

[J.B.]

In Dell's case it would have been a goal. The puck went between his head and his glove with plenty of room to spare to his shoulder. It was a matter of an inch that prevented the goal.

Dell already knew that it was not going to go in the net so my guess is he intentionally avoided the puck (once he made that determination as the puck was half way to the net) as to not slow down/redirect it into the net. Because like I said earlier, on Friday night Dell had the ability to make that determination.

You see where this is going?

[Goon]

Dell already knew that it was not going to go in the net so my guess is he intentionally avoided the puck... (

I have actually heard a few goalies say that.

[Big A HG]

Dell was clearly going for the save, as he should have. Smith(?) came up right through the slot, fired a darn nice wrister, Dell raised his glove plenty high to make the save, but Dell's glove was covering the top-right corner, and the puck went between his head and the glove before clanking. Dell got beat on the shot, he did not intentionally miss the puck.

[MoreSiouxForYou]

Dell already knew that it was not going to go in the net so my guess is he intentionally avoided the puck

As someone who played goalie (in soccer so slightly different) you are taught to control everything you think may go in. If he moved into position and didn't make an effort, he got beat because of poor judgement. It doesn't matter if the puck goes in the middle of the net, the upper corner, or hits the pipe he got beat because the shooter fooled him.

The pipe/crossbar is your best friend because when the puck hits and makes that sound and goes wide, its telling you, 'you screwed up and need to do better' in it's own loud way.

I loved that sound, its typically a mistake that you are immediately forgiven for.

[lomackman]

As someone who played goalie (in soccer so slightly different) you are taught to control everything you think may go in. If he moved into position and didn't make an effort, he got beat because of poor judgement. It doesn't matter if the puck goes in the middle of the net, the upper corner, or hits the pipe he got beat because the shooter fooled him.

The pipe/crossbar is your best friend because when the puck hits and makes that sound and goes wide, its telling you, 'you screwed up and need to do better' in it's own loud way.

I loved that sound, its typically a mistake that you are immediately forgiven for.

Now that is a great explanation for the term.

[phriq]

Bombay: "A quarter of an inch this way and it would have gone in....A quarter of an inch, Charlie."

Charlie: "Yeah, but a quarter of an inch the other way and you would have missed completely."

Bombay: "I've never thought of it thay way."

[duluthSioux]

Bombay: "A quarter of an inch this way and it would have gone in....A quarter of an inch, Charlie."

Charlie: "Yeah, but a quarter of an inch the other way and you would have missed completely."

Bombay: "I've never thought of it thay way."

[squirtcoach]

As someone who played goalie (in soccer so slightly different) you are taught to control everything you think may go in. If he moved into position and didn't make an effort, he got beat because of poor judgement. It doesn't matter if the puck goes in the middle of the net, the upper corner, or hits the pipe he got beat because the shooter fooled him.

The pipe/crossbar is your best friend because when the puck hits and makes that sound and goes wide, its telling you, 'you screwed up and need to do better' in it's own loud way.

I loved that sound, its typically a mistake that you are immediately forgiven for.

For a hockey goalie, I always understood that there a several kinds of saves: the pad save, the stick save, the glove save, the skate save, the blocker save, and of course, the metallurgy save.

[Blackheart]

Don't forget the 'no-look' save.

[808287]

For a hockey goalie, I always understood that there a several kinds of saves: the pad save, the stick save, the glove save, the skate save, the blocker save, and of course, the metallurgy save.

There is also the very common brisket save, and the very awkward mask save. But regarding pipes...not every ding of the metal means a goal not scored. Thankfully, sometimes.