By Jim Mason/OJHL Communications
Goaltender Brett Fullerton of the Haliburton County Huskies made recent Ontario Junior Hockey League history last night.
Fullerton scored what’s believed to be the first goal by an OJHL goaltender in 11 years in a 3-1 win over the Wellington Dukes.
With his Huskies on the power play, Fullerton corralled the puck behind the end line and fired it the length of the ice into the vacated Wellington net. at the 19:40 mark of the third period.
He celebrated as forwards and defencemen do, hugging his linemates then skating by the bench and high-fiving his teammates.
Gabe Grunwald of the Georgetown Raiders recorded a goalie goal and the shutout in a 3-0 win over the Mississauga Chargers on Nov. 12, 2012.
The son of former Toronto Raptors General Manager Glen Grunwald was a University of Wisconsin NCAA Division I commit.
Haliburton Head Coach Ryan Ramsay played five years of junior (including his rookie season in the OJHL) and 16 seasons of pro hockey in North America and Europe. Now 40, he’d never seen a goalie goal before last night.
“TSN but never live,” he told the OJHL.
Ramsay was surprised – and not surprised.
“Brett plays like a third defenceman out there,” Ramsay said. “Every night. He’s really, really good with the puck. I think he might have a harder shot than two or three of our own guys. It’s a cannon of a shot.”
Amid the celebration came an apology.
“It was funny because after he scored, he said ‘Sorry, coach’ because it was a one-goal game and you don’t usually do that. But we were happy for him. A big goal for him, it rarely happens and the first one for Brett. It was really nice to see.”
“He was unbelievable last night and to get that insurance goal.We (Haliburton) had never won in regulation in our two years (in the league).”
Fullerton, 19, is in his third year of junior and his first with the Huskies in Minden. Other stops have included Collingwood (OJHL), Saginaw (OHL) and Chatham (GOHL).
He’s 6-5-0 this season with a 2.77 goals against average and a .906 save percentage.
The Ancaster native is a graduate of the Burlington Eagles AAA system.
Files photos: OJHL Images and Collingwood Blues
