| Ice hockey is a very physical sport. Unlike soccer, | | | | ice. This type of skates is more durable than the |
| basketball, or baseball, ice hockey is the only sport | | | | conventional skates to prevent damage from direct |
| where fighting is a commonplace event in the game. | | | | hits from the hockey puck. |
| Aside from the painful body checks, blocking high | | | | The Stick |
| speed, hard pucks to prevent a goal is also part of the | | | | Goaltenders also use a different kind of hockey stick. |
| physical pains of the game. These pucks are heavy | | | | These sticks are wider than the usual in order to block |
| and hard objects that is why it is very important for | | | | pucks more effectively. The blade is around 8.9 cm |
| the goaltender or the goalie to wear proper equipment. | | | | wide and is commonly referred to as the paddle. |
| What should the goaltender wear in order to prevent | | | | These sticks were traditionally made out of wood, but |
| injuries happening? Here is a list of the items essential | | | | due to technology, these stick are now made of |
| to a ice hockey goalie. | | | | composite materials which make them more durable. |
| The Mask | | | | The Blocker |
| A hockey goaltender needs a mask to protect his | | | | The blocker is a piece of padding attached to the |
| head from the puck. Early goaltender masks were | | | | backhand side of the hand which holds the stick. It is |
| made of fiber glass with holes for the eye, nose and | | | | also called the waffle because old models used to |
| mouth. This mask was made popular by the machete | | | | look like one. A goaltender is allowed to wear only one |
| wielding madman, Jason, in the old Friday the 13th | | | | blocker. |
| movies. Today, masks are not only made of fiber | | | | Leg Padding |
| glass but also of Kevlar, carbon fiber, and other | | | | Goaltenders should also wear special leg padding. This |
| durable metals. The masks now have large cut outs | | | | padding resembles those that are usually worn in |
| on the eyes and nose and are covered by a steel or | | | | cricket and are ten to twelve inches wide and extend |
| titanium cage. | | | | four to eight inches above the knee. |
| The Skates | | | | The Trapper |
| The skates of a goaltender are different from those | | | | The trapper, catch glove, or catcher is worn on the |
| of the other players. The blades are longer and wider | | | | free hand of the goaltender. It looks like your average |
| allowing better mobility for the goaltender. The blade is | | | | baseball mitt but has a deeper pocket and is much |
| shorter vertically so that the goaltender is closer to the | | | | more protective. |