Sean ramps up the pace, puts more power behind the pucks, and places shots on net.

Can I go 8 for 8 during this final round?

Sean and I ended practice with ramping up the pace of shots, closing the distance from shooter to the net, and decreasing time between shots. I loved every moment of it.

I’ve always liked facing high shot volume…in practice or in game, the feeling of contact from pucks always gets me super stoked up.

It was nice to forget what the prosthesis was doing…and only focusing on moving into shots. Here, the mechanics of skating and puck stopping felt second nature.

Playing hockey as an above knee amputee is a process of constantly thinking of ways to adapt movements, stability, and power from my biological left leg to the carbon fiber, steel, hydraulic unit, and titanium of my right leg.

New skates can make old pads feel more mobile. CCM EFLEX 6 skates for me are the ideal balanced boot to allow me to move without the weight and bulk of the skates I grew up wearing.

The new hockey prosthesis works differently than my every day walking leg in the sense that it offeres more rigid stability in the outer hip area, stronger support in the inner thigh, and a fully customized alignment of the knee/foot componentry.

The draw back is that adjusting the alignment for better forward skating may influence lateral mobility…just as changing the foot angle for better contact in the ice may change ability to start/stop/start movements suddenly.

Each adjustment comes with tradeoffs.

QHA members Phil and Sean take to the ice together for the first time ever.

Mr Phil Skates Again: Day 9 featured long time friend Sean delivering shots on net as he too gets reacquainted with the ice.

Moving from the post to the edge of the crease is crucial to building foundational awareness in any goalie’s save selection. These drills test my lateral movements to bring me on angle to the shot: next up, improve speed to set up properly before the puck is released.

Coach Laura Brennan works on glove side saves with above knee amputee goalie Phil Hovey.

It felt amazing stopping pucks again. After 13+ years away, these first few shots gave the familiar contact of rubber hitting gloves. One crucial note as an amputee goalie, is how much stabilization it requires to stop a shot without rotating the hips or falling back on one’s heels.

Crease mechanics drills help build up my trust in the prosthesis on my right leg. Trusting the prosthesis to support, stabilize, move, and pivot is a true challenge on and off the ice.

The in crease mechanics drills are some of my favorite non-shooting drills. I love the development of foundational movements in and around the net as they strengthen the in-game response of feet and body.

Above knee amputee hockey player, Phil Hovey, returns to the ice after a decade long hiatus. Beginning in summer 2026, training with coach Laura Brennan of The Goalie Pad will accelerate and develop his hockey skills.

As an amputee, aligning a prosthesis is much an art as it is science. Adjusting my leg’s alignment for the ice involves precise calibration to then allow for creative micro adjustments based on feel.

The new hockey prosthesis is on and it is super stable! Skating for the first time in 13 years wearing full gear was a wonderful experience despite how quickly it tired me out.