In ice hockey, the Butterfly Slide (often simply called a “power slide”) is a fundamental technical movement used by modern goaltenders to move laterally across the crease while remaining in a low, protective position.
It is the cornerstone of the “Butterfly” style of goaltending, which prioritizes covering the bottom portion of the net.
1. How the Move is Performed
The slide is a controlled, explosive movement that transitions the goalie from one side of the net to the other.
- The Setup: The goalie starts in the Butterfly position (dropped to their knees with their pads flared out to cover the ice).
- The Push: The goalie loads their weight onto one leg and uses the inside edge of that skate blade to “push off” the ice.
- The Glide: While one leg pushes, the other leg (the “leading” leg) slides along the ice toward the target, kept flat to ensure no pucks can leak underneath.
- The Recovery: Once the slide is complete, the goalie can either stay down to block a rebound or use the momentum to “pop” back up into a standing stance.
2. Why Goaltenders Use It
The butterfly slide is essential because it allows a goalie to move without ever “opening up” a hole for the puck.
| Feature | Benefit |
| Lower Net Coverage | Since the pads stay on the ice during the slide, the “five-hole” (the space between the legs) and the bottom corners remain sealed. |
| Speed | A powerful push-off allows a goalie to cross the entire 6-foot width of the crease in a fraction of a second. |
| Angle Maintenance | It allows the goalie to stay “square” to the shooter even as the puck is passed quickly across the “Royal Road” (the center line of the offensive zone). |
3. Key Equipment: The Goal Skate
The butterfly slide is made possible by modern goalie skates. Unlike player skates, goalie skates have a cowlings-less design and a specific blade “attack angle.”
This allows the goalie to tilt their foot at a very sharp angle to catch the ice with the blade’s edge even when their knee is almost touching the ground. Without this specialized equipment, the skate would simply slip, a mistake known as “booting out.”
4. When Do You See It?
You will most commonly see a butterfly slide during:
- One-timers: When a player passes the puck across the slot for an immediate shot.
- Rebounds: When the goalie makes a save but needs to quickly slide to cover the second shot.
- Wrap-arounds: When an attacker tries to skate behind the net and tuck the puck in the far side.
5. Training and Physicality
While it looks fluid, the butterfly slide is incredibly taxing on a goalie’s hips, knees, and ankles. It requires significant core strength and explosive power in the quads. Modern goalie coaching spends hours perfecting the “edge work” required to execute this move perfectly without overshooting the post.