Plural of goalie; multiple players whose job is to defend the goal in sports like hockey, soccer, or lacrosse.
Plural of 'goalie,' from 'goal' plus '-ie' (informal diminutive) plus '-s' (plural). This became the preferred informal term in sports vocabulary.
Goalies' became the dominant term in English-speaking sports culture, even though 'goalkeeper' is longer—sports communities have power to standardize language, and casual terms like 'goalie' often win because they're easier to chant and remember.
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