goaltending

noun

goal·​tend·​ing ˈgōl-ˌten-diŋ 

1

: the act of guarding a goal (as in hockey)

2

: a violation in basketball that involves touching or deflecting a ball that is on its downward path toward the basket or on or within the rim of the basket

Examples of goaltending in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This is a roster chock full of veterans up front and on the backend and has a goaltending tandem that’s believed to be one of the best in the league. —Jeremy Rutherford, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025

Demers points to a more stable defense corps with the additions of John Klingberg, Nick Leddy, and Dmitry Orlov, and improved goaltending, with Yaroslav Askarov entering his first full season in the NHL, and the promise of better special teams as reasons for hope. —Curtis Pashelka, Mercury News, 11 Oct. 2025

Colorado traded for Mackenzie Blackwood eight days later, and the reshaped goaltending tandem helped save what had been a tumultuous start to the season. —Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2025

Improved goaltending and a more consistent defense will be crucial in a tough Western Conference. —Ben Verbrugge, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1891, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for goaltending

• amending
• appending
• ascending
• attending
• befriending
• commending
• contending
• defending
• depending
• descending
• distending
• expending