Young Giants goalies standing tall
Tandem of Tendeck and Scott posting impressive numbers as they ‘push each other to get better’
In the Vancouver Giants’ last 10 outings, one of their goalies has been selected as one of the game’s three stars on four occasions, and they probably deserved at least one more nod.
With youngsters David Tendeck and Todd Scott minding the net, that’s a pair of solid building blocks.
The Giants turned some heads in the WHL when they dealt two-year starting goalie Ryan Kubic to the Saskatoon Blades for a 2019 second round bantam draft pick just before the opening of the regular season.
Tendeck and Scott appear to be trending in the right direction, though, in particular since Vancouver’s lacklustre opening weekend when they were outscored 13-2 in a home-and-home set against the Victoria Royals.
“They’re both playing amazing. It gives us so much confidence,” said Vancouver centre James Malm. “I think they’re both confident guys and they know they can be No. 1 goalies in this league.
“I think they’ve got a good thing going. They’re good friends. They’re really supportive of one another.”
Tendeck, a North Vancouver native, turns 18 next month and is in his second WHL campaign after getting into 22 games as Kubic’s backup last season. Scott, 17, is a rookie from Minnesota.
They’ve shared the netminding load so far this season for coach Jason McKee. Tendeck is 3-3-0-0, with a 3.70 goals against average and an .890 save percentage. Scott is 2-21-1, with a 3.59 goals against and an .888 save percentage.
Scott has been named a game star three times, including his past two starts. Tendeck has one such accolade, although you could argue he also merited acknowledgment for a 43-save effort in Vancouver’s 6-3 home win over the Kamloops Blazers on Sept. 29.
Take away Scott surrendering seven goals on 24 shots on opening night to Victoria, and his save percentage jumps to .914.
Leave out Tendeck allowing six goals on 30 shots to the Royals the next night, and his save percentage bumps up to .905.
It’s early and it’s a tiny sample size, but Vancouver hasn’t had a starting goalie finish the season with a save percentage above .900 since Adam Morrison fashioned at .901 for 55 appearances in 2011-12. Kubic came close, checking in at .898 over 50 games two seasons ago.
Vancouver brass boasted they had five goalies in training camp who were capable of playing in the WHL in Tendeck, Scott, Kubic, Jacob Wasserman and Trent Miner. Wasserman, 17, was dealt to the Regina Pats for a conditional 2018 sixthround bantam pick.
Miner, 16, was re-assigned to his midget team in Brandon, although the 2016 bantam first rounder should be in the mix for regular duty with Vancouver next fall.
“It wasn’t harder having five guys in training camp. I think it was actually a good thing,” Scott said. “It made you work that much more.”
Tendeck, who is 6-foot-2 and 173 pounds, was a 2014 sixth-round bantam pick. The 6-foot, 199-pound Scott was a 2015 10th rounder. Minnesota youngsters usually go the NCAA route.
“I knew it was a highly respected league, I knew that it was a challenging league and I knew that it was a much longer regular season than (what the) university teams play,” Scott said. “It was a hard transition, but at the same time, the team has made it easier for me, and being good buddies with Tendeck helps.”
Both Tendeck and Scott are fans of Los Angeles Kings’ netminder Jonathan Quick. Tendeck points out, though, that he tries to model his game after San Jose Sharks’ netminder Martin Jones, relying more and more on technique and positioning.
Scott aims to play an athletic, battling style like Quick.
At some point, McKee is bound to name a No. 1 goalie. Tendeck and Scott understand that.
“It’s not our main focus,” Tendeck said of establishing a No. 1 guy. “Our main focus is winning games. We just keep pushing each other to get better.”