Unmasked: Trying too hard can be detrimental for goalies

One of the great challenges of being a goalie in the NHL is understanding and accepting that trying harder is not always conducive to playing better. Much like swinging harder is not usually great advice for a struggling golfer, asking a goalie to try harder during a game is typically a recipe for more problems. "Goaltending is not an effort-based endeavor," said Casey DeSmith, who is in his sixth NHL season and first with the Vancouver Canucks.