PHILADELPHIA — The San Jose Sharks will not have a traditional backup goalie against the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.
Goaltender Yaroslav Askarov won’t dress for the Sharks due to an illness, forcing the team to sign the Flyers’ emergency backup goalie Justin Kowalkoski to an amateur tryout.
Yaroslav Askarov won’t dress for the #SJSharks tonight. The team announces Justin Kowalkoski has been added to the roster on an ATO.
— Max Miller (@Real_Max_Miller) December 9, 2025
Kowalkoski has dressed as an NHL backup goalie before for the Detroit Red Wings during the 2018-19 season. He has never appeared in a game.
As tradition, the San Jose Sharks gave Kowalkoski a rookie lap, forcing the 39-year-old to skate alone on the ice before the rest of the team during warmup.
Alex Nedelkovic will start in goal for the San Jose Sharks for the second consecutive game. If he is forced out of the game in any way, Kowalkoski will enter for the Sharks.
Kowalkoski played 18 games for Colgate University at the NCAA level from 2005 to 2008. In his spare time, not as the Flyers EBUG, Kowalkoski is a Professional Geologist.
Read more about the San Jose Sharks’ newest, but temporary, goalie by clicking here!
“Professional Geologist in Pennsylvania and a Licensed Site Remediation Professional in New Jersey with specialties in soil and groundwater site investigation and remediation projects that involve complex hydrogeology/bedrock aquifers, DNAPL, LNAPL, vapor intrusion, PCBs, metals, environmental forensics, and emerging contaminants, as well as due diligence support. He holds a B.A. in Geology from Colgate University and is currently a Principal Hydrogeologist for Roux (2008-present).”
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