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Artūrs Šilovs Photo: Ebotsford Canucks
Latvian goalkeeper Artūrs Šilovs’ positive Covid-19 test prevents the national hockey league (NHL) team Vancouver Canucks from helping the goalkeeper.
The Athletic, according to the team’s head coach Bruce Bodro, report that the Canucks will start Sunday’s match against St. Louis Blues with Michael Dipjetro at the goal. Dipjetro is the team’s nominal fourth goalkeeper, but in the reserve of the match, which will start on Monday at 5 am Latvian time, there will be Railen Tots, the British Columbia University puck catcher, signed in an emergency.
“I could be a reserve goalkeeper today,” joked Bodro, 67, who played as a center-forward during his career. On Thursday, Thatcher Demko, the first goalkeeper of the Canucks, was subject to the requirements of the Covid-19 protocol, but Yaroslav Halak has been in self-isolation since January 15. On Sunday, Spencer Martin also entered the Covid-19 protocol and a Latvian Šilov also had a positive test.
The 22-year-old Dipjetro will only start an NHL match for the second time in his career. He made his debut in the NHL two years ago when he scored seven goals. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Shilov, who is awaiting his debut in the NHL, is representing the American Hockey League (AHL) Ebootsford Canucks this season, with an average of 2.78 goals in nine games, a 89.5% throw-in and a once-dry run. The Vancouver team ranks 13th in the Western Conference with 40 points in 40 games.
