Rookie goalie Carl Stankowski shines in 3-1 T-Birds preseason win over Silvertips

EVERETT – Playing in his first WHL action, rookie goalie Carl Stankowski looked as calm as the most seasoned vet Friday night at Xfinity Arena.

The 16 year old from Calgary made 30 saves as the Thunderbirds opened their preseason schedule with a solid 3-1 win over the Everett Silvertips. Nick Holowko added a goal and an assist as the T-Birds kicked off the Everett Holiday Preseason Tournament on a positive note.

Stankowski is one of two goalies fighting for a roster spot, and he didn’t disappoint. As a rookie he did have to adjust to the level of play, which was a tad better than what he experienced last season.

“It’s a lot higher pace than I’m used to,” he said. “It’s everything – the speed, the passing, the consistency, it’s all a step above. I had to get used to that but it was a lot of fun.”

While he may have been having fun, he had to make several big saves to keep his team ahead of the Silvertips. After Everett’s Noah Juulsen scored in the third period to cut the lead to 3-1, the Silvertips got buzzing. They had some momentum and put the pressure on Seattle’s young goalie.

Stankowski made his best save of the night with just over eight minutes left as he sprawled out to make an athletic stop on a shot that seemed like a sure goal. That save preserved Seattle’s two-goal lead and it would go on to win.

“I thought he was pretty poised out there,” head coach Steve Konowalchuk said of the young netminder. “He made saves he needed to, pretty calm and he looked good.”

There still is a long way to go before the backup spot is decided on and Stankowski hasn’t locked up anything yet. Ryan Gilchrist is the other goalie looking to make the team and the two aren’t making the decision easy on the coaching staff.

Stankowski says he’s taking it day-by-day.

“I’m just trying to make an impression,” he said. “Hopefully I’ll make the team this season.”

The T-Birds started Friday’s game strong with some physical play. After a couple of weeks of playing against their own guys, they seemed eager to let loose and hit someone in a different color sweater.
Chief among the T-Birds was defenseman Turner Ottenbreit. He threw two big open-ice hits on the first shift of the game to get things rolling.

“I thought our guys were ready to play,” Konowalchuk said. “I think Ottenbreit got our team into it right off the bat there with a couple of big hits and everybody kind of followed suit.”

The Thunderbirds would go to the power play mid-way through the opening period and while they failed to convert, they would score just seconds after the penalty expired. Donovan Neuls easily moved past an Everett defenseman and snapped a top-shelf shot to beat Everett goalie Carter Hart.

Four minutes later, Holowko helped create a turnover in the neutral zone, which put the T-Birds on a three-on-two rush. He got the puck to defenseman Jarret Tyszka, who raced past the defense and lifted a shot over Hart’s shoulder.

Hart, a Philadelphia Flyers prospect, would end the night making 22 saves.

For Tyszka, it was a goal that is a continuation of his strong camp. Now in his second season in the WHL, he could be poised for a strong year. He looks more confident and willing to jump up into the offensive rush, which is what allowed him to score on Friday.

“You get a little stronger, you’re not a rookie anymore,” Konowalchuk said of Tyszka. “You’ve been through it once. He’s a big solid, two-way defenseman out there.”

Seattle would extend its lead in the third period when Holowko pounced on a puck that had rebounded off the end boards and deposited it past Hart. The Silvertips would get closer on Juulsen’s late goal but Stankowski would shut the door the rest of the way.

The T-Birds will be back on the Xfinity Arena ice Saturday at 3 p.m. against the Tri City Americans.

Notes

• Finnish import Sami Moilanen left the game after the first period with an injury. After the game Konowalchuk didn’t have an update as he hadn’t talked to the team trainers yet.

• There is a spot open on the Seattle defensive corps and two young players got an audition Friday as Reece Harsch and newly signed Tyson Terretta both played. Konowalchuk thought both young guys were solid in their preseason debut.

• A good number of the T-Birds’ regular players did not play on Friday but should see some action over the weekend. Missing from Friday’s game were Keegan Kolesar, Ethan Bear, Alexander True and Nolan Volcan.

• Friday was the team’s first official look at the new hybrid icing rule the WHL has adopted. Similar to the rule currently used in the NHL, a player can wipe out an icing call by beating the defending team to the faceoff circle. On a couple of occasions Seattle players hustled to do just that. Konowalchuk says that the team has emphasized it during training camp.

Related

Thunderbirds GM Bil La Forge dishes on the upcoming offseasonThunderbirds end strange and hard season on a high note with dominating win over SpokaneKeltie Jeri-Leon set to play his final WHL game as Thunderbirds face Spokane SundayScott Ratzlaff earns first WHL win as Thunderbirds beat Tri-CityThunderbirds enjoy winning again after snapping six-game losing streakDealing with adversity, young Thunderbirds drop pair of games in Portland