Howlings was at the Wolf Pack’s practice Saturday afternoon and was watching the two netminders thinking that one was Matt Zaba and the other Miika Wiikman. We thought Zaba looked very sharp and that Wiikman was as sharp as ever. After the practice we were told that the Pack had brought in a new netminder from the OHL, Andrew Loverock from the Sudbury Wolves. Sudbury as you may recall is where Marc Staal played for four years, but not at the same time as Loverock.
Just moments ago the Pack made it official by announcing that they had signed goaltender Loverock to an Amateur Tryout (ATO) agreement.
The 6-3, 185-pound native of Elmvale, Ontario, just finished his third full season of Major Junior action in the Ontario Hockey League. Loverock is 19-years old and saw action in 52 games this year with the Sudbury Wolves, compiling a record of 20-24-3 with a 3.67 goals-against average and a 90.3% save percentage. Loverock was named the Wolves’ team playoff MVP, after going 2-4 in six postseason games, with a 2.67 GAA and a 92.9% save percentage.
In 156 career OHL contests with Sudbury, Niagara and Mississauga, Loverock posted a record of 69-68-8, with a 3.67 GAA, an 89.5% save percentage and two shutouts.
Jess Rubenstein of Prospect Park had this frank assessment to say of Loverock. "He is a body as Antonie Lafleur broke a finger in a freak
accident and is done for the season. I did not like Loverock's game when he faced traffic
and pressure in front of him."
Allow me to expand on my comments, Loverock is a good kid who has played on some weak Sudbury teams the last 2 seasons.
It is hard to get excited about a goalie who finished 23rd out of 30 goalies in the OHL.
To give Loverock credit he had a good series against one of the best teams in the OHL the Belleville Bulls even though his Sudbury team lost in 6 games as Loverock posted a 2.67 GAA and a .929 SV%.
To be fair to the Wolfpack/Rangers, you are not going to get great goalies via an ATO at this point in time as the CHL playoffs are just in their second round.