Who knows which hockey sage coined the phrase, "100% of shots that don't reach the net don't score", but, as Craig Ludwig's oversized shin pads would tell you, it's one of the sport's infallible truths.
While defenders are often known more for laying out big hits or getting under the skin of a certain offensive star, a goaltender's true friends are the ones that risk life and limb to block speeding rubber bullets, decreasing the chances that a goalie will be forced to make a save.
As the New York Times reports, blocking shots is a skill that also involves shedding your sense of self preservation.
"You have to break the fear," Rangers defenseman Michal Rozsival said. "You try it once, it hits your shin pads and you say, O.K. We all played the game for so long. Nobody really thinks about it anymore. It's like natural. I don't think there's any guy in the locker room who would be thinking, Oh, should I block it or not?"
Blocking shots has become an increasingly important - if still hard to fathom - part of the game. Coaches preach that they are a way to cut down scoring chances, to keep life easier for the goaltenders, and to turn defense into something practiced by the whole team, not just the defensemen.
So, just who is the best at helping out their goalies?
