There you stand in the net, and you are lost. Your mind and your focus are not there. The opening face-off is upon you. You’ve warmed up the same way, you went through your routines the same way, and you have eaten your regular pre-game meal. There is nothing different on this day. The prep work went great, and the game is about to start, but you can’t get your mind on board. The whistle is blown, the puck drops, and it's game time, except in your mind. What do you do? First, look for that first save to light the fire. That first save usually snaps you out. Savor what you did to stop it and force your mind to replay the save. If you are lucky, you will get a few more saves. It is a boost that you need to get you back into the game and find your direction.

What if the first save isn’t a save? You didn’t stop the puck; it is a goal. Panic starts to set in. Thoughts start swirling through your mind. What if you have forgotten how to play the position? Everything feels off. This is when you need to take a deep breath and relax. Every practice, game, and situation has prepared you for this moment. Baby steps are what is needed. You need to settle down. You are good enough to handle the pressure. The past will lead your way. Sometimes, if you let the presence in, the zone will appear once again, and you can breathe a sigh of relief. But what if it doesn’t? This is when your talents, reflexes, and knowledge of the position take over. It will be a struggle, but this is where the hard work in practice takes over. You have stopped the puck before in practice hundreds of times. Be a little more aggressive, stay square to the puck, and focus on the puck, which you have saved so many times before. If you don’t have the zone on any given game, it doesn’t mean failure; it just tells you to work hard and lean on your conditioning and hard work. You do every time you step on the ice. The best goalies and athletes play well even when they are not in the zone. They rely on their hard work to get them through.