• My NHL 12 > Settings > Controller Settings

Hidden under "Controller Settings," there are two options that have a huge effect how user goalies perform in-game:

• Human Goalie Cover ("Automatic" or "Manual")
   
• Human Goalie Sweeps ("On" or "Off")

By default, NHL 12 will automatically trigger a "cover-the-puck" animation whenever loose pucks are near your goalie. Sometimes these automated moves succeed in grabbing the puck. But on occasion, your goalie will completely whiff the puck, taking him out of the play and leaving the net wide open.

Switching the goalie cover feature to "manual" ensures that your goalie will only attempt to grab the puck when you tell him to by pressing the "Y" button.
 

The second option, "Goalie Sweeps," refers to the automatic animation where your goalie takes his stick and pushes the puck off to the side. Unlike the puck cover, NHL 12's stick sweep move is completely automated and cannot be performed manually.

The sweep can sometimes be helpful for pushing loose pucks away from danger. But far too often, it results in a free goal for the other team, as the CPU will occasionally sweep the puck into your own net, or push the puck right onto an opposing player's stick for a quick shot.

Turning human goalie sweeps "Off" ensures that the move will never accidentally cost your team a goal.

Do you play Goalie mode in NHL 12?