{"id":95577,"date":"2025-12-15T19:11:09","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T19:11:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/95577\/"},"modified":"2025-12-15T19:11:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-15T19:11:09","slug":"ebug-kowalkoski-shares-more-stories-from-his-day-as-sharks-backup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/95577\/","title":{"rendered":"EBUG Kowalkoski Shares More Stories From His Day As Sharks’ Backup"},"content":{"rendered":"

The life of an emergency backup goaltender can be somewhat mundane \u2013 until it isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

And after spending a couple hours as a member of the San Jose Sharks, Justin Kowalkoski\u2019s phone was blowing up.<\/p>\n

The San Jose Sharks signed Philadelphia Flyers\u2019 EBUG Justin Kowalkoski<\/a> to an Amateur Tryout Agreement just hours ahead of their game Tuesday, with Yaroslav Askarov unable to backup due to an illness.<\/p>\n

39-year-old Kowalkoski, who backed up Alex Nedeljkovic on Tuesday, began playing goalie full-time when he was eight years old \u2013 meaning he\u2019s played the position longer than either Sharks goaltender has been alive.<\/p>\n

The EBUG talked to media postgame and spoke with Jason Myrtetus on Flyers Daily about his experience, while decked out in his new San Jose Sharks gear.<\/p>\n

In today\u2019s @NHLFlyers<\/a> Daily, @jasonmyrt<\/a> recaps Thursday night\u2019s game against Vegas and talks to EBUG Justin Kolakowski about his experience suiting up for the Sharks on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

YouTube: https:\/\/t.co\/aLwwZ2ZbMx<\/a>
Spotify: https:\/\/t.co\/fWTEDmt3Yq<\/a>
Apple: https:\/\/t.co\/mvHxJFmvqm<\/a>\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/ulXcXNuvnA<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Flyers Broadcast Network (@FlyersBroadcast) December 12, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

Kowalkoski, who is at the ready for Flyers\u2019 home games just in case he could be needed, was at his day job \u2013 as a hydrogeologist \u2013 when he got the call.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was sitting at my desk at work, and I got a text message from my contact with the Flyers who said that you guys may be in need of a goalie,\u201d Kowalkoski said. \u201cSo I just waited, and then I was actually driving home to go have dinner and get ready to come to the game like normal, and I got the call from the Sharks who said they needed me.\u201d<\/p>\n

His Flyers contact had informed him that Sharks goaltender Askarov was unavailable for morning skate. Kowalkoski said on Flyers Daily that he tried to temper his expectations, assuming that with about nine hours before game time, the Sharks might acquire other options than him.<\/p>\n

Kowalkoski \u2013 who told the Sharks his nickname was \u201cMoose,\u201d according to Nedeljkovic \u2013 said the call that he was officially needed came around 4:15 p.m. And about three hours later, the EBUG was circling the ice for his Rookie Lap during warm-ups.<\/p>\n

The #SJSharks<\/a> give Kowalkoski a rookie lap! pic.twitter.com\/YPaqFkp9uT<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) December 9, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cYou try to have a little fun tonight, obviously let Moose go out first, enjoy the moment,\u201d said Nedeljkovic \u2013 who had given Kowalkoski a helpful rundown of how warmups would go beforehand \u2013 after the San Jose Sharks<\/a>\u2019 loss.<\/p>\n

Kowalkoski told Flyers Daily that his preparation ahead of warmups included \u201cthe most stretching I\u2019ve done for hockey in probably 15 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kowalkoski added that three minutes before warmups he was standing in the back of the line trying to keep out of the Sharks\u2019players way, when he heard Ryan Reaves\u2019 voice.<\/p>\n

\u201cHey, get up here,\u201d Reaves yelled to him. \u201cYou\u2019re going out first.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I went out for the Rookie Lap I said, \u2018What happens if I fall,\u2019 and they said \u2018$500 fine.\u2019 I was like, \u2018I don\u2019t know if I can afford that guys,\u2019\u201d Kowalkoski said on the podcast. \u201cI\u2019m just kidding, they said one of the guys would cover it for me if I fell, but fortunately that didn\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the Sharks only scored one goal against the Flyers, Kowalkoski joked that they got many shots past him before the game during warmups.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think they took it easy at all. I\u2019m not sure I made more than one save. It was fun to say the least, but I think they were using me as some practice for scoring goals,\u201d Kowalkoski said. \u201cHopefully I didn\u2019t take all the goalscoring away and that\u2019s why they only had one goal tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

The EBUG \u2013 whose nickname comes from his freshman year of college in 2004-05 \u2013 said he had to drive home to grab his gear, before heading to the rink to get ready. He used that time to call everyone he knew to let them know what was happening. Some of the guys he plays hockey with were able to drive down and buy last-minute tickets when they heard the news.<\/p>\n

While his hockey journey seemingly came to a conclusion after his four years at Colgate, it was his goalie partner from college who connected him with the Flyers organization a decade ago, en route to becoming the official EBUG, he told the podcast.<\/p>\n

Now, Kowalkoski typically watches every game from the press box. But this view was a lot more special, sitting on the Sharks bench.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing so close to the ice for the whole game, it was so much fun,\u201d Kowalkoski said. \u201cMy wife and kids were sitting directly across the ice from me. They left a little early because we\u2019ve got young kids, but when they were there I was able to make eye contact and give them a couple of waves. That was a lot of fun, so that was really special.\u201d<\/p>\n

Postgame, the view was also quite unique, as Kowalkoski was privy to the Sharks\u2019 locker room immediately after their loss, something he said on the podcast that not even the coaches experienced.<\/p>\n

Over his EBUG career \u2013 from which he expects to retire after this season \u2013 Kowalkoski said he\u2019s now dressed for five NHL teams and sat on the bench for two. The Sharks follow the Vancouver Canucks, Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, and Pittsburgh Penguins to have Kowalkoski don their jersey.<\/p>\n

But the Sharks hold the distinction as Kowalkoski\u2019s first time starting a game on the bench \u2013 hence the Rookie Lap. The Sharks\u2019 players were all very welcoming, Kowalkoski said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe anxiety, the adrenaline is pumping, basically the whole game, because you never know when it could happen. But I was excited, so I had a good time,\u201d Kowalkoski said.<\/p>\n

The EBUG as it is currently known is in its final season in the NHL, with the newest Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the Players Association changing the rule beginning next year.<\/p>\n

Rather than each arena supplying an emergency, amateur option, each team will have an EBUG that travels with them on the road.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m a little bit older, I\u2019ve been doing it a long time, and with two young kids at home, this is sort of my swan song, if you will,\u201d Kowalkoski said. \u201cSo I\u2019m enjoying it, and this was a great thing to happen in my last year doing it. I\u2019m really excited about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

So in his final season as the Flyers\u2019 EBUG, he\u2019s walking away with some San Jose Sharks swag, the official game scoresheet, the game puck, a signed Alex Nedeljkovic stick, and some great memories.<\/p>\n

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