When a Western Hockey League team burns one of its three 20-year-old slots on a goaltender, you know that guy is going to play.
And play a lot.
Coleman Vollrath is doing just that for the Victoria Royals and has been named the WHL nominee as Canadian Hockey League goaltender of the week. Vollrath posted a 1.50 goals-against average and .944 save percentage in 4-2 and 5-1 weekend victories over the Kamloops Blazers.
He is expected to be in goal again tonight when the Royals (4-0) begin a two-game set against the Spokane Chiefs (2-1) at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre.
Vollrath has played in every minute this season for Victoria and is 4-0 with a 2.25 GAA and .917 save percentage.
鈥淵ou have to step up and show why you鈥檙e a 20-year-old playing in this league,鈥� said the native of Calgary, who is 56-35-8 with seven shutouts in 118 career games for the Royals.
鈥淚 want to earn my ice time, not be given my ice time.鈥�
This is the second time in his career Vollrath has been nominated for the CHL weekly goaltending award. He won it last March.
Vollrath is currently tied with former Royals goaltender Patrik Polivka for the most wins (56) since the franchise moved to the Island. Vollrath is well on his way to breaking the record of 60, held by Lucas Gore, in the entire 10-year history of the franchise stretching back to when it was known as the Chilliwack Bruins.
Vollrath wants to move on in the game, so it might be instructive to see what became of Polivka and Gore. Polivka continues to bide his time in his homeland with Plzen HC of the Czech pro league and has played a grand total of four games in the two seasons since leaving Victoria. Gore, meanwhile, went from Chilliwack to play in the CIS for the University of Regina. He graduated last spring and made his pro debut with seven late-season games for the Stockton Thunder of the ECHL.
鈥淢y parents taught me from a young age to be professional in my approach, so I鈥檝e always taken a professional attitude,鈥� added Vollrath.
He got to see how the pros operated first hand when called up last spring for the Kelly Cup playoffs by Ontario Reign of the ECHL, following the Royals鈥� second-round loss to the Kelowna Rockets in the WHL playoffs, and was tossed into a Reign goalkeeping mix that included Winnipeg Jets-prospect Jussi Olkinuora and Vancouver Canucks draft-pick Joe Cannata.
Despite getting only one minute of mop-up crease time at the end of a game, the experience proved valuable.
鈥淚 got to see how they [Olkinuora and Cannata] prepare and carry themselves around the rink.鈥�
Vollrath is undrafted and playing for a contract, which means his start this season won鈥檛 go unnoticed by pro scouts.
鈥淐oleman is showing leadership and work ethic,鈥� said Royals head coach Dave Lowry.
Vollrath deflects the praise.
鈥淭he whole team is playing well in front of me,鈥� he said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e keeping it simple.鈥�
Tonight鈥檚 matchup is against a Spokane team that, much like Victoria, is very young with nine rookies and expected to be battling for the bottom four playoff spots in the WHL鈥檚 Western Conference. At a combined 6-1, the Royals and Chiefs are early-season surprises, none more so than the undefeated Royals. They are off to the best start in franchise history at 4-0 and have eclipsed the previous best start of 3-0 in 2012-13.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been a team effort,鈥� said Victoria sophomore forward Jared Dmytriw.
He is one of those unsung two-way players 鈥� along with the likes of Regan Nagy, Ryan Peckford and Keith Anderson 鈥� who don鈥檛 get much acclaim but who Lowry gets the most out of and utilizes well.
鈥淓veryone is playing their roles and it鈥檚 paying off,鈥� added Dmytriw.
鈥淒ave [Lowry] is a hard coach to play for. He expects a lot out of his players. You must play his systems, or you鈥檙e not going to play.鈥�
ICE CHIPS: Although their clubs are rivals tonight, Lowry and Chiefs GM Tim Speltz will be in common cause later this year. Speltz will be the support manager and Lowry the head coach for sa国际传媒 at the 2016 world junior hockey championship, which begins Boxing Day in Helsinki, Finland.
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