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February 27, 2007
Mensator pays dearly for injury
Czech goalie prospect Lukas Mensator had to watch from the bench as his team, Karlovy Vary, was swept in the first round of the Extra League playoffs by Trinec, bringing an unlucky season for the Canuck draftee to a disappointing end.
Mensator started into the season as his team's undisputed #1 goalie and apparently was up to the task by winning five of his first seven starts, allowing more than two goals against only on one occasion.
But then his early form began to fade and he dropped four of the next five decisions, prompting head coach Zdenek Verena to hand over the starting role to veteran and career minor leaguer Lukas Sablik for the next six games.
Mensator had regained his form when he returned into the net, winning three of four starts, including his only shutout of the season, a 3-0 Karlovy Vary victory at Hamé on November 15.
Just when the eager Canuck draftee was on his way to yet another win two days later, he had to leave the game against Sparta Prague with an injury late in the second period.
This time, Sablik used Mensator's short absence to establish himself as the starter with seven wins (three of them shutouts) in the next ten games.
Mensator had to wait until Janurary 16 for his next chance, and posted two wins in three games.
But on January 23 a miserable outing at Litvinov finally ruined his season, when he allowed three goals on 15 shots and got the hook after the first period.
After that, the only time Mensator would be back in goal for the remainder of the season was on January 30 against Pardubice, when he was inserted into a shootout which he lost.
Mensator finished the 06-07 campaign with a record of 11-10-0, a GAA of 2.37, a SP of 93.52, and a shutout.
For comparison, his record last season was 14-10-8, with a 2.09 GAA, a SP of 94.16, and five shutouts.
Mensator's overall record in three Extra League seasons now stands at 28-24-11. Certainly not bad numbers for a young goalie at the highest pro level in his country, but whether and where he gets the chance and confidence of a coaching staff to be the main man over an entire season remains to be seen.