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JUNE 2022 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 37 What makes some goaltenders great is oftentimes between their ears." – STEVE THOMPSON "You can watch any goalie in the league and glean something from their game, whether it's from a mental standpoint or a technical movement," DeSmith said. "It doesn't matter what their size is. We all play slightly different games, but every goalie in the NHL is really good at something. "As a smaller goalie, you have to rely on your angles and your positioning, and you have to be a little quicker than the guy who's 4 or 5 inches bigger than you. And, of course, it doesn't matter what size you are, you have to have really good rebound control. Whether you're 6-0 or 6-5, it's up to each goalie to find out what works for them." Jeff Lerg, a 5-foot-6 native of Livonia, Mich., won 76 games while posting a 2.38 goals-against average and .921 save per- centage for Michigan State University from 2005 to 2009. He played 10 years of minor pro hockey in the United States and abroad before returning to his former youth hock- ey program, Detroit Honeybaked, to serve as its director of goaltending and hockey operations manager. He identifies goaltenders for eight boys teams and four girls teams. "I look for people who get the job done, regardless of size," Lerg said. "Obviously, there are various styles a goaltender can play, but I'm looking for someone who controls the game well more than any- thing else. Skating is a big part of it, but also rebound control is a big factor. "There's more to the position than just taking up space on the initial shot. There's pre-shot movement and how you adjust and maybe re-adjust before a shot is taken. Bigger guys might take up more space, but controlling pucks, battling through traffic and having a high amount of will power to will your team to victory are all elements I look for and things that don't just automatically come." Lerg naturally roots for the undersized goaltenders and takes pride in watching them outduel the larger-sized opponents at the opposite end of the ice. " I 'd l o v e t o s e e u s g e t b a c k t o t h e d ay s w h e n C h r i s O sg o o d a n d M a n ny L e g a c e w e r e w i n n i n g S t a n l e y C u p s f o r t h e R e d W i n g s a s g o a l i e s u n d e r 6 - f o ot ," h e sa i d . " T h a t 's w h a t I g r e w up with, and that's what motivated me to be a goalie. "Size is just one tool in the tool box. At the end of the day, it's all about winning games, and it shouldn't matter how big you are." P Jim Leitner is the sports editor of the Dubuque (Iowa) Telegraph Herald. Despite his size, Dustin Wolf has been successful at every level of the game due to his intelligence and his athletic ability. DUSTIN WOLF