The skate save is what you'd think it would be: a save made with your skate. Sounds easy but it is pretty hard to get at first. Some find it hard to keep the skate on the ice, others find it hard to keep the stick on the ice. And then there are some who find it really hard to keep their balance while making a skate save. During practice, repeat the skate save, slowly so you will get comfortable with it. It will come if you practice it. Repeating any kind of save during practice, it will help you react faster to shots so in the futur, you won't think about what you're going to do, you'll just react! This save is not popular anymore and has been replaced by keeping the pad facing out, the butterfly.

When in the ready position and you want to make a skate save to your stick side(lets just say that the stick hand is your right hand), turn your right skate outwards while you slide your skate out to the side in a kicking motion towards the corner. The skate save mimics a "C" motion.