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Bolts goalie Janus may get lost in mix

The Associated Press

Janus was also selected by Lokomotiv in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League draft.

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By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 13, 2009

TAMPA - Undrafted and virtually unnoticed as an 18-year-old, goaltender Jaroslav Janus quickly became a household name in his native Slovakia three months after his 19th birthday.

The 5-foot-11 goaltender stopped 44 of 47 shots in an upset victory against Team USA in the 2009 World Junior Championships quarterfinals. One game later, he nearly pulled off a double dip, stopping 46 shots against Sweden in the semifinals, but couldn't hold a 2-1 lead through two periods.

Though he couldn't lead upstart Slovakia to a medal, he put himself on the hockey map with the performance. And despite having already drafted a goaltender in the previous round, the Lightning used their sixth-round pick to select Janus in last month's entry draft.

"He's very athletic and he's very quick," Lightning goaltending coach Cap Raeder said. "The one thing that I'll work on is calming his game down because he is very active in the net."

Now the question is going to be where Janus will be tending net this season. He is eligible to return to his junior team in Erie, Pa., as an overage player, but Janus said he's not sure he wants to return to the junior ranks.

He was selected by Lokomotiv in Russia's Kontinental Hockey League draft, but playing in Russia would not be his first choice.

"The European leagues are good, but I want to play in Canada or the U.S.. That is my dream," Janus said.

Tampa Bay has to evaluate where Janus falls into their immediate plans, something the team is using this week's prospects camp to figure out. With prospects Dustin Tokarski and Riku Helenius already under contract, it might be difficult to find enough playing time for three young goaltenders.

Janus said there have been no talks between with the team regarding a contract at this point.

"I'll talk to my agent and see how things look after this camp," Janus said.

Reporter Erik Erlendsson can be reached at (813) 259-7835.

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