Goalies Learning to Cope.

The poor guys have been the target of a lot of rule changes since the NHL last played and there's plenty of adjustments they'll have to learn about and make before the season starts on Oct. 5th. However in typical goalie fashionthe boys are feeling pretty confident about dealing successfully with everything that's being thrown at them.

''I guess the shooters will see a little more,'' St. Louis Blues goalie Patrick Lalime said this week. ''It's been a bit of an adjustment, but I don't think it will be that much of a factor.
''I'm glad they didn't go for the bigger nets, which would have been a really big adjustment for us,'' he added.

All together, the changes sound like a nightmare for goalies, but Marty Brodeur is not worried.

''We'll get more shots, but I don't know if we'll get more quality shots,'' he said. ''Making the offensive zone bigger, with less space behind the net, is going to create a lot of space on the outside.
''A good defensive team will play the house system, as they call it, and you'll get more shots - offensive players will get more time to make plays - but it will be hard to get good shots on net.
''We have to give it a chance,'' he added. ''I'm excited about all the changes the NHL made to make the game more exciting.''

Well, we shall see, we'll just have to see. Personally I think it's going to be a bigger and rockier adjustment for a lot of these goaltenders to make than they're admitting to now. But heck, like typical goalies they don't want shooters to know that.