Lukas Dostal, Pacific Division Win AHL's Mise-O-Jeu All-Star Challenge
Feb 6, 2023San Diego Gulls goaltender Lukas Dostal and the Pacific Division won the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Mise-o-jeu AHL All-Star Challenge as part of the league’s All-Star Classic presented by Bell in collaboration with Manulife Bank at Place Bell in Laval, Quebec. This is the first Challenge win for the Pacific Division since the league adopted a 3-on-3 format in 2017. The division previously appeared in the Challenge final in 2018, falling 1-0 to the North Division All-Stars.
Dostal, 22 (6/22/00), earned co-Most Valuable Player honors with Calgary Wranglers goaltender Dustin Wolf, the first duo to share the award since 2015 (Charles Hudon, Jacob Markstrom, West). The Brno, Czechia native is the second consecutive goaltender to win the award, following Vitek Vanecek (Atlantic) in 2020. In addition, Dostal recorded two assists, tying Christopher Gibson (2018, Atlantic) for the most helpers in an All-Star Challenge/Game (since 1995). Dostal is the third San Diego goaltender to participate in the AHL’s midseason skills showcase, joining Kevin Boyle (2019, Springfield) and Anthony Stolarz (2020, Ontario).
Selected by Anaheim in the third round (85th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft, Dostal recorded a 3.04 goals-against average (GAA), .910 save percentage (SV%) and three shutouts in 33 games with the Gulls this season. As of Feb. 5, the netminder ranked tied for second among qualified goaltenders in shutouts and second in saves (913). In 97 career AHL games with San Diego, Dostal is 43-44-4 with a 2.82 GAA, .914 SV% and five shutouts.
This season, Dostal became the first netminder in San Diego’s AHL history to record consecutive shutouts with his 3-0 win against Henderson on Jan. 1 and with his 5-0 win on Jan. 6 at Milwaukee. Dostal’s shutout sequence of 152:31 (Dec. 9, 2022 – Jan. 7, 2023, spanning four games) is the longest in the team’s AHL history, passing John Gibson’s streak of 137:13 (Oct. 21-30, 2015, spanning three games). In addition, Dostal remains the franchise’s all-time leader with five career AHL shutouts (5-0 win on Jan. 6, 2023 at MIL, 3-0 win on Jan. 1, 2023 at HSK, 7-0 win on Nov. 8, 2022 at HSK, 3-0 win on Mar. 11, 2022 at BAK and a 4-0 win on Feb. 26, 2022 at HSK). This is the second consecutive season Dostal recorded multiple shutouts (2021-22; 4-0 win on Feb. 26, 2022 at HSK and a 3-0 win on Mar. 11, 2022 at BAK).
Prior to his shutout on Jan. 1, Dostal appeared in seven games with the Anaheim Ducks from Dec. 12-23, posting a 2-3-0 record with a 3.53 GAA and .909 SV%. The netminder set a NHL career high with 46 saves on Dec. 17 against Edmonton and became the first Ducks rookie to make at least 40 saves more than once with 42 saves on Dec. 23 against Calgary. The 6-2, 191-pound goaltender is 3-5-1 with a 3.34 GAA and .909 SV% in 11 career NHL appearances with the Ducks.