IHM Knowledge Center
How Do Goalies Control the Five-Hole?
How do hockey goalies protect the five-hole, and why does controlling the space between the pads require more than simply dropping into the butterfly?
Editor: Coach Mark • Updated: July 13, 2026
Short Answer
Goalies control the five-hole through balanced posture, correct stick placement, controlled knee closure, proper butterfly timing, and patient positioning.
The space between the pads should be protected by the stick while the goalie remains upright and then sealed by the knees and pads when the goalie moves into the butterfly.
Full Explanation
The five-hole is the space between a goaltender’s legs.
It becomes available when the goalie is standing, moving laterally, transitioning into the butterfly, or recovering after an initial save.
Controlling this area requires several technical elements to work together.
While standing, the goalie normally uses the stick blade to cover the ice between the skates.
When the shot is released low, the goalie may move into the butterfly and bring the knees together to close the central lane.
The movement must be compact and controlled.
If the goalie drops too early, opens the knees, lifts the stick, or loses balance, the five-hole may remain exposed even after the save movement begins.
Why the Five-Hole Opens
The five-hole is not a fixed opening.
Its size changes according to the goalie’s stance, movement, body position, and reaction to the puck.
Common reasons it becomes exposed include:
- A stance that is too wide
- Poor stick placement
- Late knee closure
- Dropping before the shot is released
- Reaching instead of moving the body
- Opening the hips during lateral movement
- Leaning backwards in the butterfly
- Recovering with the legs separated
Shooters often wait for one of these technical openings before attacking through the middle.
How Stick Positioning Protects the Five-Hole
The stick is the goalie’s first layer of five-hole protection while standing.
The blade should remain flat or nearly flat on the ice and centred in front of the body.
The stick should not be placed too far ahead of the pads because this can create a gap underneath the hands and reduce control of rebounds.
It should also not be pulled too close to the skates, where the blade may become trapped during movement.
A stable stick position allows the goalie to:
- Block low shots before entering the butterfly
- Direct pucks away from the slot
- Maintain balance through the upper body
- Stay connected to the centre line of the shot
- Cover the transition between standing and dropping
When the stick moves away from the centre of the body, the five-hole often becomes available before the pads can close it.
How the Butterfly Closes the Five-Hole
In a properly executed butterfly, the goalie’s knees move down and towards each other while the pads rotate outward to cover the lower part of the net.
The knee blocks and inner pad surfaces help seal the space between the legs.
The torso should remain upright and balanced over the knees.
The stick stays connected to the ice in front of the five-hole whenever possible.
A strong butterfly closure depends on:
- Active knee drive
- Controlled hip rotation
- Stable upper-body posture
- Even weight distribution
- Correct pad rotation
- Compact hand positioning
Simply falling to the ice does not create an effective butterfly.
The goalie must close the centre while maintaining coverage of the low corners and control of the rebound.
Why Butterfly Timing Matters
Five-hole control depends heavily on when the goalie chooses to drop.
An early butterfly may close the five-hole temporarily, but it can allow the shooter to delay, move laterally, or raise the puck over the pads.
A late butterfly may leave the centre open as the shot travels through the goalie’s stance.
The correct timing is linked to the release of the puck.
The goalie should read:
- The shooter’s hand position
- The angle of the stick blade
- The distance between the puck and the body
- The shooter’s weight transfer
- The available passing options
- The speed of the attack
Patient goalies remain on their edges until the shot or deke creates a clear trigger for the save selection.
How Stance Width Affects Five-Hole Control
A wider stance can help a goalie feel prepared for lateral movement, but excessive width may create technical problems.
When the skates are positioned too far apart, the knees need to travel a greater distance to meet in the butterfly.
This can delay closure and leave an opening under the body.
A stance that is too narrow can also reduce balance and make explosive movement more difficult.
The effective stance is wide enough to support movement but compact enough to allow rapid knee closure.
The ideal width changes according to the goalie’s body structure, mobility, playing level, and the immediate situation.
Five-Hole Control During Lateral Movement
The five-hole becomes especially vulnerable when the goalie moves across the crease.
During shuffles, T-pushes, lateral releases, and post-to-post movements, the legs may separate and the stick may leave the central lane.
Strong lateral five-hole control requires the goalie to keep the chest square to the puck and maintain the stick between the skates.
The goalie should arrive set whenever time allows.
Shots taken while the goalie is still moving are more difficult because the knees, hips, and stick may not be aligned.
A shooter who recognizes uncontrolled lateral movement may deliberately aim through the opening rather than trying to beat the goalie around the body.
Five-Hole Control on Breakaways
Breakaways create a direct contest between the shooter’s patience and the goalie’s ability to hold structure.
The goalie often starts with controlled depth and retreats as the attacker approaches.
The five-hole may open during this backward movement because the goalie must remain ready for both a shot and a deke.
The goalie should avoid widening the stance unnecessarily or dropping before the puck carrier commits.
Important breakaway principles include:
- Matching the attacker’s speed
- Maintaining a balanced retreat
- Keeping the stick centred
- Reading the puck rather than the head or shoulders
- Holding the edges until the release trigger appears
- Closing the knees without collapsing backwards
A patient goalie forces the shooter to make the first decisive move.
Five-Hole Control on Screens and Deflections
Screened shots make five-hole control more difficult because the goalie may not see the release clearly.
Without clean visual information, the goalie may react late or use a more blocking-oriented save selection.
The stance should remain connected and compact behind traffic.
The stick must stay active on the ice because low point shots and deflections often change direction near the crease.
When the goalie loses sight of the puck, opening the stance to look around a screen can accidentally expose the five-hole.
The goalie must find a sightline without losing central coverage.
How Goalies Control Five-Hole Rebounds
Stopping the first puck is only part of five-hole control.
A low save through the middle can create a dangerous rebound if the stick or pads direct the puck back into the slot.
Goalies should try to:
- Angle the stick towards safe areas
- Absorb manageable shots into the body
- Keep the hands in front of the torso
- Maintain knee closure after initial contact
- Track the rebound immediately
- Recover without reopening the centre
A save that remains uncontrolled between the pads can create a second opportunity directly in front of the net.
NHL vs IIHF Five-Hole Control
The core techniques for controlling the five-hole are similar in NHL and IIHF hockey.
However, rink dimensions and attacking patterns can influence how the skill is applied.
On the smaller NHL rink, attacks often reach the net quickly and include more traffic, rebounds, net drives, and short-distance releases.
Goalies may need to close the five-hole rapidly while maintaining compact positioning under pressure.
On larger IIHF ice surfaces, attackers may use more lateral movement, wider entries, and cross-ice passing before the shot.
This can require longer crease movement and greater patience before committing to the butterfly.
In both environments, stick positioning, knee closure, angle control, and save timing remain essential.
Why Five-Hole Goals Are Controversial
Five-hole goals are often judged harshly because the puck appears to pass directly through the goaltender.
Fans may assume that every shot between the pads should be stopped.
In reality, the cause of the goal may involve several factors:
- A screened release
- A deflection close to the net
- Forced lateral movement
- A deceptive change in shooting angle
- A defensive breakdown
- A shot released during the goalie’s transition
- Contact that prevents full pad closure
The decision layer is whether the goalie selected the correct response based on the available information.
A five-hole goal does not automatically mean the goalie used poor technique.
The timing, speed, screen, angle, and preceding movement must all be considered.
Edge Case: The Pads Close but the Puck Still Goes Through
An important edge case occurs when the goalie’s knees appear to close correctly but the puck still enters through the five-hole.
This can happen when the puck arrives during the brief transition before the pad surfaces create a complete seal.
It may also occur if:
- The stick blade is lifted at impact
- The pads rotate unevenly
- The puck changes direction
- The goalie is leaning backwards
- The puck strikes the shaft or skate first
- The knees meet but the upper pad area remains open
Video may show closed pads after the puck has already crossed the goal line.
The final body position does not always reveal the exact opening that existed at the moment of the shot.
IHM Signal System: How to Evaluate Five-Hole Control
When evaluating a goalie’s five-hole control, focus on these signals:
- Stance signal: Is the stance compact enough for rapid knee closure?
- Stick signal: Does the blade remain centred and connected to the ice?
- Timing signal: Does the goalie drop in response to the release rather than guessing early?
- Closure signal: Do the knees and pads seal the centre without delay?
- Posture signal: Does the chest remain upright over the knees?
- Movement signal: Is the goalie set before the shot whenever possible?
- Recovery signal: Does the five-hole remain protected after the first save?
Trigger-level rule:
If the goalie’s stick leaves the central lane while the feet are still separated, the five-hole becomes immediately vulnerable before the butterfly can complete the seal.
Five-hole control is strongest when the stick, knees, hips, and torso remain connected through the entire save sequence.
IHM Insight: The Five-Hole Is Usually a Timing Problem
Five-hole goals are often described as positioning mistakes, but many are actually timing mistakes.
The goalie may be centred on the puck and still concede if the knees close a fraction too late.
The same problem can appear when the goalie drops too early and then begins to reopen while reacting to a delayed release.
The non-obvious detail is that the five-hole is often most vulnerable during transition rather than in the final stance or completed butterfly.
Elite five-hole control comes from reducing the amount of time the central lane remains unprotected between those two positions.
Mini Q&A
What is the five-hole in hockey?
The five-hole is the space between a goaltender’s legs.
How does a goalie protect the five-hole while standing?
The goalie normally uses a centred stick blade, balanced stance, and compact leg position.
How does the butterfly close the five-hole?
The knees move down and together while the pads rotate to seal the lower centre of the net.
Why do goalies allow five-hole goals?
Common causes include poor timing, an open stance, lateral movement, screens, deflections, and incorrect stick placement.
Should a goalie drop early to protect the five-hole?
Not automatically. Dropping too early can allow the shooter to delay or attack another opening.
Is every five-hole goal a goaltending mistake?
No. Screens, deflections, forced movement, contact, and deceptive releases can create goals even when the goalie makes a reasonable read.
Why This Concept Exists
Five-hole control exists as a fundamental goaltending concept because the centre of the stance is naturally vulnerable whenever the legs are separated.
Modern goaltending technique connects the stick, stance, butterfly, posture, and movement to protect this area through every phase of the play.
The concept is not only about closing the pads.
It is about managing the transition between standing, moving, dropping, saving, and recovering without allowing the puck to pass through the centre.
Key Takeaways
- The five-hole is the space between the goalie’s legs
- The stick protects the five-hole while the goalie remains upright
- The knees and pads seal the centre during the butterfly
- Butterfly timing is as important as pad closure
- An excessively wide stance can delay five-hole coverage
- Lateral movement creates additional five-hole risk
- Screened and deflected shots require compact positioning
- Recovery technique must protect the five-hole after the first save
- Not every five-hole goal is automatically a goaltending mistake