Atlantic Youth Hockey League

Alumnus Stolarz to make NHL debut tonight with Flyers

Release Date : 11/27/2016

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Atlantic Youth Hockey League alumnus Anthony Stolarz (Jackson, NJ) is set to make his National Hockey League debut tonight for the Philadelphia Flyers as he draws the start in net for their game against the Calgary Flames at the Wells Fargo Center.

Stolarz will become the first New Jersey-born goaltender to play in the NHL. He was recalled for the seventh time on November 14 after Michael Neuvirth was sidelined with a left knee injury. The rookie has been active for 26 games but will see game action for the first time this evening.

The Jackson, New Jersey resident will be the third AYHL alumnus to skate in their NHL game this season, joining Rob O’Gara (Nesconset, NY), who debuted with the Boston Bruins, and Stolarz’s Philadelphia teammate, Ivan Provorov (Yaroslavl, Russia).

Stolarz skated with the New Jersey Junior Titans through his Bantam Major season before joining the New Jersey Devils Youth for a season of midgets. He advanced to the North American Hockey League’s Corpus Christi Ice Rays, where he committed to the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

After Philadelphia made him the 45^th overall selection in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Stolarz played eight games for the Mavericks before leaving the program to join the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League, where he won an OHL championship.

Stolarz spent two seasons in the OHL before reporting to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the American Hockey League after signing his initial NHL contract. He was named to the AHL All-Star Game in 2016 and compiled a 2.60 goals against average with a 0.916 save percentage in 47 games.

The Atlantic Youth Hockey League is the USA Hockey-sanctioned Tier I AAA youth hockey league of the Atlantic District. From Connecticut to Maryland, the AYHL’s membership is comprised of over 100 teams, representing four districts, and is spread across six playing divisions. The AYHL’s mission is to develop young players with competition, fun, and good sportsmanship, and move them on to the next phase of their hockey career. With a distinguished alumni list of players that spent a portion of their playing career in the AYHL, today’s players choose to play in the AYHL knowing that it is a proven stepping stone for those serious in their hockey pursuits.

For more information on the AYHL, log on to http://www.atlantichockey.org/ayhl.php or on Twitter @AYHL or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheAYHL