An NHL goal frame is exactly 6 feet wide by 4 feet tall (24 sq ft). When a goaltender stands directly on the goal line, they cover less than 55% of the frame. By aggressively stepping out to the top of the crease (4 to 6 feet out), the goaltender's silhouette expands relative to the shooter's visual cone, closing up to 92% of the shooting angle.

Why did Patrick Kane slow down almost to a dead stop on shootouts? Coming in at 20 mph forces a rapid release before the goalie commits. Kane's deliberate, gliding crawl forces the goaltender to hold their edges. The moment the goaltender hesitates or drops into the butterfly, Kane lateral-drags the puck outside the goalie's rotational center, reopening the top corners or the five-hole as the pads slide.