Learn about the VH and why it is effective for shots on the dead angle or when there is not immediate back door pass option.

The Vertical Horizontal (VH) was one of the first post integration save selections, developed by François Allaire. Francois was the goalie coach who, with Patrick Roy, modernized the butterfly and is credited with changing the goalie position to what it is today. After his time in Montreal with the Canadiens, Allaire left for Anaheim where he eventually hooked up with J.S. Giguère. Together they developed what was known as the “block” style of goaltending. Building off what he had started in Montreal, Allaire identified that if the goalie “played the percentages” they could cover a lot of net with minimal effort. With the style of game played in the NHL in the early 2000s, the goalie could drop and “block” on most shots inside the red zone (the space below the hash marks and inside the dot lane, in the defensive zone).

Building off this philosophy, Allaire wanted to re-evaluate how goalies played shots from the dead angle (when the puck is located low in the zone, near the bottom of face off circle below the hash marks and above the goal line). The “older” style was to stand straight up against your post, which minimized your ability to control pucks on the body. The other option was to drop into the butterfly, which was superior for shot/rebound control, but limited mobility.

Vertical Horizontal

The VH is a combination of the two styles. The vertical being the post leg/pad being straight up against the post, sealing the short side. The vertical leg also allows the goalie to push off laterally on any passes or rebounds. The horizontal being the goalie’s back leg, is in a half butterfly, sealing the ice and allowing the goalie to slide block on any passes/rebounds in the red zone. A lot of coaches and goalies have stopped training this save selection as they prefer the RVH (Reverse Vertical Horizontal). In the NHL there are still many goalies, including Jonathan Quick and Craig Anderson, who still use the VH, similar to the stack pads there is still a time and a place for the VH. Goalies have become predictable and players are starting to learn some of our tendencies. It is important for all goalies to have a deep tool box depending on the situation and read. The VH is most effectively used on 1 on 1’s for shots on the dead angle or when there is not immediate back door pass option.

Video 1: The Dead Arm

InGoal Magazine put together a video of Carey Price working with then goalie coach Pierre Groulx. The video is older but effective; Price is working on movement back to the post on a mid-to-low play. We want to observe how Price makes contact with the post before fully committing to the VH. The drill is called “Dead Arm,” as especially on the glove side Price’s arm is on the post (not inside), low and tight to the body. Similar to the RVH, the VH is a blocking save. In today’s game mobility is key, in this video we are able to see how Price is able to release into a blocking butterfly. Mobility off the post is created based on the goalie’s heel position on the post (Vertical leg). Goalies are only able to move effectively in a straight line when in the butterfly, the goalie needs to identify any secondary scoring threats while using the VH.

Video 2: Practice

The VH can be practiced using the boards for support, similar to the RVH. The blocker side in the this drill can be more difficult for some goalies do to stick position. You can turn the blocker hand towards the boards, as in the VH, the blocker arm will be helping seal short side as well as anchor the body to the post. The glove side is the easiest as we can work on driving into the boards (post) and sealing the short side. With a camera we can see if there’s any holes through the body. In these videos we see our goalie electing to use a high glove position when sealing. With a high glove position we can take away the top corner, short side by the goalie’s ear. The high glove provides the most coverage short side, but the dead arm allows for the easiest and most compact position when transitioning off the post into the rebound. We transition into the net, with the focus being a lateral release after the save in the VH. It’s hard to see in the video, but heel placement is important with the vertical leg to help guide the push to the rebound.

Keys to success: Balanced entry to VH, good shoulder/hip seal on the boards limiting holes on the post side. Horizontal leg flared and flush to the ice, the shoulders symmetrical and hands balanced (symmetrical on blocker side and using dead arm technique on glove side). Visual lead on release and a smooth transition into a blocking butterfly, it is important to work on a short slide and a long slide as some goalies struggle with tighter transitions.

Video 3: Skating

Crease or net skating is the next progression, the goalie should work on “shadow boxing.” With these reps goaliex are focused on entries and exits based on perceived reads. Visualization helps goalies develop IQ, it is important goalies understand the “why.” The entry is based on the puck carrier attacking on a dead angle, is inside the dot lane and there’s no immediate back door pass option. The goalie needs to be aware of their heel position with their post leg as this will allow them to push out on any pass/rebound. The horizontal leg/pad needs to be “flared” to help seal the 5 hole and take away space along the ice. In this video we have our goalie working on what I call a “bump out” or slide to the middle, which is controlled. We also work on hard drives to the back door. There is conflicting opinion on how square the vertical pad should be to the puck. If the pad is over square the goalie will only be able to move out to the short side dot angle. The primary focus is the shot, if the goalie is 100% positioned on the puck carrier, it limits their ability especially in the VH to move laterally.

Keys to success: Balance and strong seal on the post, Upright body position (not tall, but shoulders forward), square shoulders. On the blocker side or in the dead arm position, hands should be symmetrical and elbows are neutral (except on post arm). Neutral elbows keep the hands in front of the elbows and limit holes through the body. The stick blade should be on the ice covering the 5 hole but can be angled for optimal blocker position.

Video 4: Shooting

These shooting drills are simple and are going to mirror what we did in video 3. The goalie must understand puck placement to initiate the drill. Static drills are the easiest, with progressions to dead angle attacks and to 1 on 1 plays off the wall. The focus on these drills is entry, tracking the puck into the body, rebound neutralization and release. Our rule is if the rebound gets to the edge of the circles or within a stick length from the hashmarks the goalie is to recover to their feet. The primary focus has to be on reading puck location, entry into the VH, balance and seal on the post. Taking pictures and reviewing strengths will help goalies establish the “feels” to ensure a proper seal and consistency. Goalies need to feel pucks up high (chest position), on the body (rebound retention) and low to see where they bounce to and how to adjust their release for optimal positioning on rebounds.