Before goalie Lukáš Dostál even became a regular for the Ducks, he established a reputation as one of the rarest of creatures in hockey: a two-way threat in net.
As a member of the Ducks’ minor-league affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, the frontrunner to start for the Czechs at the upcoming Winter Olympics made 50 saves in a game and capped it with an empty-net goal.
Today, as one of the NHL’s emergent stars between the pipes, he has routinely proven that game was no fluke, as he’ll look to do once more against the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night.
This year, he’s one of just seven goalies to have saved double-digit goals above expected, per MoneyPuck, and his puck-handling has remained effective and aggressive.
“I think it’s a great asset to have. As a defenseman, there’s an appreciation factor, that when you know that you’re vulnerable or likely to be exposed to a big hit, he can free it up,” said Ducks coach Joel Quenneville, a defenseman in his playing days. “Or he can invite the other guy and he can pass through it to trap him on a pass. Sometimes he shoots it into the neutral zone or sometimes he can pass it all the way up ice.”
In Saturday’s immense overtime victory against Vegas, Dostál not only shined while stopping the puck, but also as he got it moving again. He won the ninth of his last 11 decisions and his third straight, while also contributing heavily to counterattacks.
His slick dish for Chris Kreider set the wheels in motion for Troy Terry’s tying goal. In OT, he was even more daring, singlehandedly sending Terry and Leo Carlsson off an odd-man rush with an outlet pass that would have made former NBA star Wes Unseld weep appreciatively. That transition play nearly ended the game and built momentum for Cutter Gauthier’s winner on the following shift.
While some netminders tend to button up in big situations, Dostál seems increasingly eager to not only play the puck but make plays with it as the stakes elevate.
“I don’t want to say he’s bold, but he’s confident with it,” Quenneville said. “That’s a sign that he’s reading the play, that he knows what his best asset is and what his best option is. There’s safety after that, too. He’s looking for the best opportunity, then his safest, and I like his thought process.”
Dostál’s win against Vegas moved the Ducks to 2-0-0 against last year’s Pacific Division champs. That perch is currently occupied by the Ducks, whose most recent division title was in 2017.
The prior victory was earned by Petr Mrázek, whom Dostál beat out for the starting job at the 2024 World Championships in Czechia, where the Czechs took gold. Utah’s Karel Vejmelka was the hosts’ third goalie at the tournament.
“Being the youngest [goalie], people might have thought I might not be able to handle it, but I really wanted to prove everybody wrong, to show that ‘I’m here, I’m ready,’” Dostál said.
Saturday, Golden Knights star forward Tomáš Hertl, who is also Czech, was a good sport in defeat when asked about his national team cohort’s performance.
“I’m looking for him to play good in February, not now,” Hertl joked.
VANCOUVER AT DUCKS
When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Where: Honda Center
TV: Victory+