Just like most hockey players, Hunter Shepard started playing hockey at a young age. Shepherd’s path to the NHL has been long, tough and gritty compared to most other NHL players. He is one of many professional goaltenders looking to break through into the NHL. Very few make it all the way up the ladder, but Shepard did.
Shepard played three years of Minnesota high school hockey. In 2013 he had a 1.95 goals against average (GAA) earning him a North American Hockey League (NAHL) contract to play with the Bismarck Bobcats. In 2016 he had a GAA of 1.9, before going to the University of Minnesota-Duluth where he won back-to-back National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships in 2018 and 2019. He played four seasons in Minnesota-Duluth. He was then signed by the Washington Capitals and played in the American Hockey League (AHL) for four seasons for the Capitals affiliate team, the Hershey Bears, and is currently playing here as well. He won them a Calder cup championship, winning the Jack A. Butterfly trophy for most valuable player of the Calder cup playoffs. He also played in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) for the South Carolina Stingrays.
Shepard finally got the call he has been waiting for since he first started playing hockey, receiving word that he would be starting in late October for the Washington Capitals against the New Jersey Devils. This game would be the only game of the day, and it would be nationally televised on TNT. With no other games for people to watch, and it being nationally televised, the pressure was on.
Shepard started the night off hot in New Jersey, as the Capitals were up 3-0 after the first with Hunter Shepard making two saves.
The second period is where the new goaltender struggled, letting in four goals in five minutes and 30 seconds. The Capitals called a timeout to regroup and move on from the Devils onslaught of goals. The Capitals faith had remained in Shepard, letting him remain in the game, even though most teams would have pulled their goaltender in this scenario. He had ten saves in the second period.
Shepard took a step back and proved why he got the call up. He let in no goals in the final frame of the game, saving six shots and backstopping the Capitals to a 6-4 win in New Jersey.
Shepard had the rare opportunity of a lifetime and ran with it. To be in Shepard’s position, getting a NHL start, is impressive but words cannot express the guts, focus and grittiness it takes to win in this position. Shepard also proved focus by having a quick turn around after the avalanche of goals by the Devils, allowing no goals in the first and third periods.
Shepard continues the inspiring journey. Shepard did what very few goaltenders could do, not only get called up, but to win in a debut.
