Ducks’ Lukas Dostal has right attitude about return to AHL – Orange County Register

by Arthur · January 2, 2023

ANAHEIM — Rookie goaltender Lukas Dostal absorbed lessons, on and off the ice, when he was up with the Ducks in December and before being reassigned to AHL San Diego.

This included watching and learning from the Ducks’ No. 1 goalie, John Gibson.

“He was standing there on the ice with me when John Gibson was doing some reps and he looked at me and started smiling and shaking his head,” Ducks goaltending coach Sudarshan Maharaj said Monday.

“And I said, ‘Why are you laughing?’ He said: ‘I still have so much to learn.’ Seeing Gibby go through those reps … it turns out, such a good head on his shoulders.”

The story was illustrative of Dostal’s attitude to the craft and the recognition of the current situation now that the Ducks have two healthy goaltenders, Gibson and Anthony Stolarz. After what was a successful run with the Ducks in December — albeit a small sample size — Dostal went back to the Gulls and promptly recorded a 3-0 shutout against the Henderson Silver Knights on Sunday, making 39 saves. It was his second shutout of the season with the Gulls.

Maharaj said Dostal understood the circumstances behind the transfer.

“(Earlier) he said he was disappointed after the training camp but kind of realized his situation,” Maharaj said. “This time he was just glad he had this experience and knows there’s more to come.”

Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said: “When guys get sent down, it’s one of two things — it’s either just the disappointment and the sadness that you were there and you had a chance and it didn’t work out and you get sent down.

“Or that you’re going to sulk and get (chopped) off. And Dos is told, he goes, and it’s like ‘Let’s go. I will play and do my best to help my teammates. That’s all he thinks about. He doesn’t think about the negative parts that get into your head and can affect your game.”