(above) Matt Carle is wearing his number old number from his DU days (#25) in Philadelphia. Thats former Gopher Kyle Okposo (#21) in the foregroundFrom: Philadelphia Inquirer
As youngsters grow up playing hockey, many dream of being the next Alex Ovechkin, Wayne Gretzky or Bernie Parent.
None, it's pretty safe to assume, have aspirations of becoming a premier shot-blocker.
It's one of the game's least-appreciated jobs, and the last time you saw an ESPN highlight of a defenseman blocking a shot was probably because it caused a bloody injury.
Glamorous, it's not.
Yet, from a goalie's perspective, it is one of the most admired parts of a defenseman's résumé.
"A shot that's blocked in front of me is a shot I don't have to worry about," Flyers goalie Marty Biron said. "It's a unique skill and not everyone can do it."
That's what makes Biron such a big fan of Flyers defenseman Matt Carle, who was recently acquired in the deal that sent Steve Downie and Steve Eminger to Tampa Bay.
Carle was Tampa's second-leading shot-blocker with 27 blocks. In his first three games with the Flyers, he blocked 14 shots, including nine in the club's 3-1 win over the Islanders Tuesday.
"There are some guys who are really, really good at it and can definitely make a career of it," Biron said. "Nowadays, you can't cross-check a guy out of position like you used to be able to do, so guys [defensemen] have to develop a new way to play the player who is standing in front of the crease. A lot of the time, it's by trying to step in front of the guy who's taking the shot."
Carle has some battle scars from pucks that have hit him in the face. He became adept at blocking shots when he played at the University of Denver and wore a college-mandated face shield, contributing to his no-fear attitude.
"With the shield, you're relentless; you don't care at all," he said.
But he gave up the shield in the NHL.
"When I first came into the league, there was a little bit of a hesitation" to stand in front of a shot "and you don't go down as much," he said. "But then you just put it behind you."
Flyers coach John Stevens, a former defenseman, said blocking shots "takes a lot of courage and a willingness to pay a price to help your team win by getting in front of pucks. In Matt's case, I think he's a smart player. He positions himself well and his anticipation is really good."
In Tuesday's game on Long Island, Carle blocked a shot with a "half-glove and half-kick save in front of me. We were joking about it after the game," Biron said.
"You have to know when to do it. If a guy takes a wrist shot from the top of the circle or the blue line, yeah, you step in front of it," Biron said. "But if a guy takes a one-timer through traffic, you want to get out of the way and let the goalie be able to see."
Carle said blocking shots has become more important because of the way games are officiated.
"It's a big part of the game now because you can't cross-check guys in front of the net," he said. "Before the rule change, you used to be able to get away with a lot more stuff when trying to clear a guy out of there. So you have to get in front of them and try to block shots from the point or wherever."
Anticipation has helped Carle become one of the club's best shot blockers.
"On the penalty kill, he gets himself in the way, he reads where the puck is going, and he closes quickly," Stevens said. "The closer you get to people when they're shooting the puck, the better chance of blocking the shot. If you're further away, just like a goalie, your angle's not as good and it's harder to block the shot."
In the NFL, it's not uncommon for quarterbacks to take their offensive linemen out for dinner if they don't allow any sacks. Biron was asked if he treats his defensemen if they block a certain amount of shots.
"A goalie," he said, smiling, "never takes anyone out to dinner. They take the goalies out."
None, it's pretty safe to assume, have aspirations of becoming a premier shot-blocker.
It's one of the game's least-appreciated jobs, and the last time you saw an ESPN highlight of a defenseman blocking a shot was probably because it caused a bloody injury.
Glamorous, it's not.
Yet, from a goalie's perspective, it is one of the most admired parts of a defenseman's résumé.
"A shot that's blocked in front of me is a shot I don't have to worry about," Flyers goalie Marty Biron said. "It's a unique skill and not everyone can do it."
That's what makes Biron such a big fan of Flyers defenseman Matt Carle, who was recently acquired in the deal that sent Steve Downie and Steve Eminger to Tampa Bay.
Carle was Tampa's second-leading shot-blocker with 27 blocks. In his first three games with the Flyers, he blocked 14 shots, including nine in the club's 3-1 win over the Islanders Tuesday.
"There are some guys who are really, really good at it and can definitely make a career of it," Biron said. "Nowadays, you can't cross-check a guy out of position like you used to be able to do, so guys [defensemen] have to develop a new way to play the player who is standing in front of the crease. A lot of the time, it's by trying to step in front of the guy who's taking the shot."
Carle has some battle scars from pucks that have hit him in the face. He became adept at blocking shots when he played at the University of Denver and wore a college-mandated face shield, contributing to his no-fear attitude.
"With the shield, you're relentless; you don't care at all," he said.
But he gave up the shield in the NHL.
"When I first came into the league, there was a little bit of a hesitation" to stand in front of a shot "and you don't go down as much," he said. "But then you just put it behind you."
Flyers coach John Stevens, a former defenseman, said blocking shots "takes a lot of courage and a willingness to pay a price to help your team win by getting in front of pucks. In Matt's case, I think he's a smart player. He positions himself well and his anticipation is really good."
In Tuesday's game on Long Island, Carle blocked a shot with a "half-glove and half-kick save in front of me. We were joking about it after the game," Biron said.
"You have to know when to do it. If a guy takes a wrist shot from the top of the circle or the blue line, yeah, you step in front of it," Biron said. "But if a guy takes a one-timer through traffic, you want to get out of the way and let the goalie be able to see."
Carle said blocking shots has become more important because of the way games are officiated.
"It's a big part of the game now because you can't cross-check guys in front of the net," he said. "Before the rule change, you used to be able to get away with a lot more stuff when trying to clear a guy out of there. So you have to get in front of them and try to block shots from the point or wherever."
Anticipation has helped Carle become one of the club's best shot blockers.
"On the penalty kill, he gets himself in the way, he reads where the puck is going, and he closes quickly," Stevens said. "The closer you get to people when they're shooting the puck, the better chance of blocking the shot. If you're further away, just like a goalie, your angle's not as good and it's harder to block the shot."
In the NFL, it's not uncommon for quarterbacks to take their offensive linemen out for dinner if they don't allow any sacks. Biron was asked if he treats his defensemen if they block a certain amount of shots.
"A goalie," he said, smiling, "never takes anyone out to dinner. They take the goalies out."
2 comments:
I know this is one skill that Gwoz has always emphasized to his teams. I think the most famous Pio blocked shot though goes to Luke Fulghum in the '05 regionals against UNH.
Ouch. That still hurts thinking about it.
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