For the Campbell River Storm’s goaltending team, three’s definitely not a crowd.
The Junior B team is boosting its goalie roster with the addition of 16-year-old Carsten Shrimpton. He was acquired from the Chilliwack Jets of the Pacific Junior Hockey League.
Head Coach and General Manager Lee Stone said Shrimpton is a high-end goalie for his age.
“We are very fortunate to get the opportunity to add him to our roster,” he said in a press release. “He’s a big kid that tracks the puck extremely well and uses his size to stop pucks.”
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Shrimpton spent last season with the U18 AAA Kootenay Ice, where he posted a 7-12-0 record with a 4.83 GAA.
The six-foot-three, 185-pound goalie likens his playing style to the Vancouver Canucks’ Jacob Markström.
“I’m more of a stay-at-home, not-too-aggressive goaltender,” he said. “I focus on tracking pucks well and reading the play to the best of my ability.”
Shrimpton’s presence on the roster is welcomed by Stone as one of the team’s goalies is feeling under the weather and is not attending practices at the rink. Having a third goalie will pad that part of the roster should anyone feel unwell and is unable to attend games or practices.
The Storm won’t have Shrimpton available for its games against the Nanaimo Buccaneers this weekend as he completes his two weeks in isolation under Phase 3 viaSport COVID-19 protocols. He is eligible to join the roster on Oct. 16.
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In the meantime, Stone is feeling good about his team’s chances this weekend. In its first two games of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) season against the Comox Valley Glacier Kings last weekend, the team scored 15 goals on its way to victory.
However, Stone did see some areas for improvement for the Junior B squad that is chasing a VIJHL Championship and the Cyclone Taylor Cup this season. Namely, he wants to see the team defend its net better and work on its penalty kill play.
This weekend’s games remain closed to spectators, but will be carried on HockeyTV. The first game kicks off at 7:45 p.m. Friday from the Nanaimo Ice Centre. Game two is set for Oct. 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Rod Brind’Amour Arena.
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