Hockey Net Materials Guide

Or, things that make or break a game "The coolest game on earth" is what the National Hockey League calls it, and not only because it is played on ice. A visually stunning experience involving lightning-fast action and rough-and-tumble contact on slippery ice, ice hockey is thrilling to play and a treat to watch. This game's popularity arises from the fast pace of skating, the adrenalin-pumping excitement of competition, and the passion of coordinated team play. Guarding the goal is the key Goaltending is one of the most difficult and challenging positions in ice hockey. The goalie guards the smallest but most important space on the ice, the goal. The job requires concentration, quickness while wearing heavy equipment, an ability to catch like a baseball player, and ultra coolness in the face of a speeding puck.

What makes a good goalie?

The goalie is the keeper of the castle who has to defend it at any cost in the course of the fast-paced battle on ice. Terry Sawchuck, who played with five teams in his 21-year career, leads all goaltenders with 103 shutouts. Dominik Hasek of the Buffalo Sabres allowed only 1.95 goals per game in the 1993-94 season. That was the first time in 20 years that any goalie had an average under two goals per game. Though an encyclopedic knowledge of the materials used to make hockey nets is not essential to be a good goalie, it can't hurt to be in the know!

Hockey net materials checklist

• Most regulation professional ice hockey goal posts are made of 2.4-inch galvanized steel for long-lasting use.
  
• Goal posts used in the junior level can be made of steel, aluminum, or PVC piping.
  
• Similarly, standard roller hockey goal posts are made of steel, while the goals meant for younger players or street-level play are made of PVC.
  
• Official field hockey goal posts are made of aluminum and steel. Training goal posts are usually made of galvanized steel and can often be folded to convenient portability.
  
• Ice and roller hockey goal posts are usually finished in red enamel paint. Field hockey goals are finished in white.
  
• Ice and inline hockey nets are white in color and are made of knotless nylon or polyester. Field hockey nets are made of black knotless nylon.