But when possession of the puck is gained, all five players can jump into the offense. The sport is so fast at times that many of the scoring opportunities arise when the puck-carrying team loses possessiong, thus creating a counterattack. Goaltenders His main responsibility is keeping the puck from entering the goal. But, like a pitcher in baseball, there are many styles and many different methods to get the job done. A goaltender can, on occasion, get into the act offensively by passing the puck up ice to a teammate.
Goalies are usually the best pure skaters on the team, have great balance and even greater reflexes.
Their main job is to prevent the opposing team from geting quality scoring chances. It's common to see defensemen blocking shots and clearing rebounds from the front of the net. It takes both types for a team to be strong at this position. Fans will rarely see a left winger, for example, stay only on the left side of the ice during an attack. Although the three forwards do have defensive responsibilities when the opposing team has control of the puck, the majority of a team's offensive production will come from its wingers or center.