AHL Utica Comets

Comet Tales: Jack Campbell Returns to the AUD

Published on November 16, 2013 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Utica Comets News Release


When the Texas Stars settle in The AUD this Saturday evening for a first-ever meeting with the Comets, there is one name on the visiting roster who Utica fans may already be familiar with. Texas Stars' goaltender, Jack Campbell.

Stars goalie Jack Campbell isn't sure if he'll be making the trip north with his teammates, but he's hoping. Campbell is currently nursing a lower body injury. You see, with all the bus-ing and flying that Dallas' top draft pick in 2010 has experienced already as a 21-year old, Utica had been a stop during his amateur career. As a member of the U.S. National Under-18 team in 2009-10 (his second season with the program), Campbell and teammates played against the Utica College Pioneers on October 23, 2009 as part of their tour.

The U.S. National squad was coached by former Utica Devil Kurt Kleinendorst, and the roster included, along with Campbell, future NHL players Jason Zucker, Jarred Tinordi, and Brandon Saad. "I loved being part of the USA team. I was pumped up playing against Utica. They were older than us, and you always try harder against guys with more experience," Campbell said while driving through Austin, TX traffic. "After being in Utica we played a few more schools further east, up to Maine."

While Campbell waits for a conversation with coach Willie Desjardins to shore up his possible travel plans that could include a revist to Utica, he recalls in vivid details a couple highlights in his budding career. Last month Campbell made his National Hockey League debut against the Anaheim Ducks. With Dallas' regular netminder Kari Lehtonen injured, Campbell received 'the call', in a most memorable manner.

"The team had a karaoke night out with the coaches. It was a lot of fun. Later that night our general manager (Scott White) called telling me that I would be going up with Dallas for a couple games, as a backup," says Campbell, who in 2010 was also selected by HC Dinamo Minsk. "I thought it would be a lot of fun. It was early in the season, so getting called up was unexpected."

Hours after working a karaoke crowd in Austin, Campbell was on a plane bound for Minnesota. Meeting up with the Dallas Stars, his new, however temporary teammates, began a five game connection with the NHL. During four of the contests, Campbell had a great seat on the bench to observe the Wild, Avalanche, Sharks, and Kings. Labeling the road trip a "great experience", Campbell especially enjoyed watching his favorite goalie Jonathan Quick, from his ice-level perch in Los Angeles. "My parents flew out to Los Angeles. They didn't think that they would get to see me play. The next night, in Anaheim, I didn't tell them I was starting. They were surprised"," Campell said.

It was the day of the Stars visiting the Ducks that Campbell received the word from Dallas coach Lindy Ruff of his getting the start. In a meeting earlier on game day, Ruff, in a roundabout way, leaked the word to Campbell. "He (Ruff) said to the team that they better play better defense tonight, because I was making my debut," remembers Campbell. Ruff and Campbell's teammates wanted to give him every advantage to have a memorable night.

Although the Ducks fell to Anaheim on October 20, 2013, 6-3, and Teemu Selanne scored first on the Port Huron, Michigan native, Campbell rates his first experience on NHL ice as a valuable learning lesson. The same feeling is echoed by Campbell as he looks back to his first AHL win between the pipes against the Marlies. "That was cool. We're playing in Toronto, the center of the hockey world, and I get my first pro win," Campbell said.

Campbell is quick to credit his long time goalie coach Joe Exter, who played for Merrimack College and for the past two years has been an assistant coach for the men's hockey program at Ohio State University, for much of his success that led him to an NHL appearance.

For Jack Campbell, since playing on AUD ice four years back, he has logged 54 AHL games protecting the net for the Texas Stars, and one in Dallas. Adding one more game from Utica to his resume has deja vu written all over it.

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