Warroad's Hampton Slukynsky making case to be state's top goaltender
Feb. 7—EAST GRAND FORKS — East Grand Forks Senior High gave No. 1 Warroad its best shot Monday night.
The Green Wave opened the game by controlling puck possession, generating chances from cycles and off the rush, while tripling the undefeated Warriors in shots on goal (12-4) during the first period.
But when the buzzer sounded and the teams left the ice for the first intermission, the game was still scoreless.
"I've said this from Day 1," Senior High coach Tyler Palmiscno said. "I think the hardest thing to beat that hockey team is Hampton Slukynsky. He's that good for high school hockey."
While Warroad forwards Jayson Shaugabay (74 points) and Carson Pilgrim (71 points) have piled up attention-grabbing numbers this season, Warrior goaltender Hampton Slukynsky has quietly been a game-changer in net.
Slukynsky is 21-0 with a .944 save percentage, a 1.42 goals-against average and seven shutouts. He was a major reason why Warroad escaped the Civic Center
with a 4-2 win
Monday.
The Northern Michigan commit is making a strong case for the Frank Brimsek Award, which goes to the state's top senior goaltender.
No Warroad goalie has ever won it.
The only winners from Section 8 have been Roseau's Jake Brandt in 2000, Thief River Falls' Zane McIntyre in 2010, Lake of the Woods' Alex Lyon in 2011, Moorhead's Michael Bitzer in 2012 and Moorhead's Hudson Hodges in 2020. McIntyre and Lyon went on to play in the NHL.
"I haven't seen a better goalie in the state than him in the last two years," Warroad coach Jay Hardwick said. "He's been outstanding every single day. If there's a better goalie, I know I haven't seen it."
The 6-foot-1, 170-pound Slukynsky had an opportunity to move on and play junior hockey this season, but he ultimately made the same choice as his older brother, Grant, and returned to Warroad for his senior season.
Although he doesn't always see a lot of shots playing behind a 22-0 Warroad team — he has shutouts of 10, 11 and 12 saves this season — Slukynsky said there are areas of his game he's looked to sharpen.
"Definitely my skating," Slukynsky said. "High school's not as fast as the USHL and the NAHL, so my movement, getting to spots, seeing the puck, tracking the puck. . . stuff like that."
Slukynsky has become much more comfortable moving the puck, too, as evidenced by his four assists this season.
"I didn't do much of it last year," Slukynsky said.
He's also learned to stay mentally engaged, even if he's not seeing a lot of shots.
"I think the biggest thing is his focus, his intensity, his compete level," Hardwick said. "Every puck he's trying to stop no matter what. He doesn't want to get scored on. He's battling every single shift. If they're going to beat him, it's going to have to be something good.
"He's so dialed in. He controls the play. He's kind of a calming influence on us."
Next season, Slukynsky will move on to the USHL's Fargo Force, whose goalie coach, Carter Krier, was in the Civic Center on Monday to watch Slukynsky's performance.
But first, he has bigger goals — reaching the state tournament and bringing Warroad its first boys title since 2004-05, when T.J. Oshie was a senior.
"I give Hampton Slukynsky and Jayson Shaugabay so much credit for choosing to come back to high school," Palmiscno said. "I think that is so cool and I think it's so good for high school hockey when players of that caliber choose to come back and try to do something special with their teammates. They'll never regret it."
Team: Warroad.
Class: Senior.
Size: 6-1, 170.
Stats: 21-0, .944 save percentage, 1.42 goals-against average.
College commitment: Northern Michigan.
