A chip off the ol’ (goalie) blocker
IMOO TIMES TWO: Father comes out of hockey retirement to back up his son in minor-league contest Steve Ewen
Saturday ended up being Bring Your Dad to Work Day for White Rock netminder Jonah Imoo, and his father certainly seemed to enjoy it.
“The best experience ever,” was how, via text message Sunday morning, that Dusty Imoo, 46, characterized coming out of retirement to back up starting goalie Jonah, 22, with the Ontario Reign, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings.
Jonah, in his first AHL game, made 26 saves in a 5-4 overtime loss to the visiting San Jose Barracuda before a crowd of 8,282 Saturday night at Citizens Business Bank Arena.
Dusty, a one-time New Westminster Bruins backstop, is the goalie development coach for the Kings. Jonah, who had starred in the BCHL with the Powell River Kings and Merritt Centennials, went to Kings training camp and impressed enough there that he signed a professional tryout contract with the Reign.
He moved up the Ontario depth chart when the Kings summoned Peter Budaj to pinch hit for Jonathan Quick, who’s sidelined with a groin injury. At their morning skate Saturday in preparation for their game against the Canucks, the Kings then lost Jeff Zatkoff to a groin injury, which led them to recall Jack Campbell from Ontario and promote Jonah to starter.
Dusty was on the ice in Los Angeles when Zatkoff was injured. He knew that it would be difficult to get another goalie to Ontario in time for the game. He thought about declining the offer to back up with the Reign, figuring it would distract Jonah, but then heard from his wife Rhonda that Jonah was keen on the idea after it had been hinted at to him.
Ontario is about a 50-minute drive from Los Angeles.
“The whole experience was a lot to take in. Right from when Zats got hurt,” explained Dusty — who was with the big club Saturday because Kings goalie coach Bill Ranford was playing in the Heritage Classic Alumni Game in Winnipeg — “to getting off the ice and finding I had to drive to Ontario and I was backing up Jonah.
“Once I got there, I tried to make it about business and make sure Jonah didn’t feel more pressure than was already in the air.” And how did that go? “To tell you the truth, Jonah was a true pro and it was harder for me,” Dusty reported. “Getting dressed next to him, taking warm up with him, watching him play, talking to him at the TV stoppages … so cool.”
Asked whether there has ever been a game he backed up where he was pulling more for the starter to succeed so he didn’t have go in, he replied: “Ha ha ha! Good one.”
Daniel O’Regan scored at 3:29 of the extra session for San Jose (1-1-00). Ontario (2-1-1-0) registered just 15 shots on the Barracuda net.
Ontario coach Mike Stothers told reporters after the game: “I just wish it would’ve had a better ending for Jonah. That’s a real tough situation to come in on and you know it’s tough on him. It’s tough on his dad. He’s got a job to do as goalie coach and he can’t be partial and, yet, he’s trying to root for his son.”
Ontario’s next game is Friday, which should give them time to find another netminder if required.
Dusty played minor pro after his junior career and then spent a decade playing professionally in Japan. He represented Japan at the Nagano 1998 Olympics.
He last played regularly in Japan in 2005-06. His LinkedIn page list time playing with the Vancouver Canucks Alumni.
Jonah spent time last season with the Louisiana IceGators of the Southern Professional League and Port Huron Prowlers of the Federal Hockey League.
“To tell you the truth, Jonah was a true pro and it was harder for me.” — Dusty Imoo