Goaltending Masterclass for Neftekhimik Hockey School Prospects
31.10.2026
Goaltenders from Neftekhimik and Reaktor ran a training session for the young goalies at our hockey school.
With Hockey Goaltender Day approaching, the young goaltenders of the Neftekhimik Youth Sports School were given a rare chance to see the professional craft from the inside. On the ice, generations came together: the senior team’s goaltenders and their youth-team counterparts passed their experience on to the youngsters.
The masterclass was lively and packed with action. Rather than dry theory, the emphasis was on work on the ice: proper movement in a stance, stickhandling technique, and, of course, making saves. The more experienced goaltenders – Filipp Dolganov, Yaroslav Ozolin, Damir Shayakhmetov, and Alexander Kolymayev – did more than demonstrate drills; they broke down each young goalie’s mistakes and explained how to deal with various in-game situations
For the school’s players, this is far more than a training session – it is a genuine lesson in motivation, taught by their own idols. It is also deeply symbolic that this exchange of experience comes in a year when the national hockey tradition reaches a major milestone: the 80th anniversary of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation. After all, this is exactly how the traditions of our hockey are handed down – from one generation to the next.
“In 45 minutes, I do not believe you can teach youngsters all that much. What you can do is point out certain nuances and give them a few tips. They train under professional coaches, and those coaches have clearly equipped them with solid technical skills and preparation. I truly enjoyed working with these young goaltenders, and I believe they enjoyed working with me and Yaroslav too. They certainly came away with a good dose of positive energy,” said Filipp Dolganov.
