Kings' alumni goaltenders contributing at higher levels.
- What an incredible Ontario Hockey League debut it was for Thunder Bay’s Carter George last week.
With his Owen Sound Attack side down 5-1 midway through the second period on Oct. 27 against the Barrie Colts, George, who was serving as the backup goaltender that night, was summoned off the bench in the relief to appear in his first career OHL game.
Keeping his club in it, the 16-year-old netminder turned aside all 14 shots he faced while Owen Sound rallied with four straight tallies to help force overtime.
After overtime failed to provide a result, extra shots were needed to determine a winner. George was phenomenal, stopping all eight attempts he saw in the lengthy affair to backstop the Attack to a thrilling 6-5 come from behind triumph and earning him his initial league victory.
The former Thunder Bay Kings stalwart goalkeeper then made 27 saves Sunday in his opening OHL start and was named the game’s first star in a 4-1 win over the Kingston Frontenacs.
George’s early league stats line sees him boasting a crisp 0.63 goals-against average and an equally stellar .976 save percentage. On Monday, George was named the league's goaltender of the week.
After being drafted by Owen Sound from the Kings under-16 squad in the third round, 53rd overall, of the 2022 OHL Priority Selection, George began this season with the Attack’s affiliate, the St. Mary’s Lincolns of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League.
George posted a record of 2-1-1-0 in five appearances at St. Mary’s with an GAA of 2.88, along with a save mark of .902.
Meanwhile, Nate Krawchuk is another Thunder Bay goaltender currently in his OHL rookie campaign with the Sudbury Wolves.
The former U18 Kings stopper is still in search of his opening win as he sits with an 0-2 record following road defeats at Saginaw and Kitchener.
Krawchuk was tabbed by Sudbury from the Kings with the third overall pick in this past summer’s OHL under-18 draft.
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GOALTENDING GURU: Having worked with many local netminders over the years with his Zulie’s Goalie Academy in the Lakehead, Colin Zulianello has also returned to the professional ranks this season as the goaltending development coach of the National Hockey League’s Seattle Kraken.
Among his duties will be working closely with Kraken prospect goalkeepers, including at the AHL level with their farm club, the first-year Coachella Valley Firebirds, who are based out of suburban Palm Springs, Calif.
