The Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs have had one of the hottest starts in team history, going 7-1-2 through the first ten games of the season, thanks in large part to the stellar play of starting goalie Stephen Klein, who has yet to lose a game in regulation time.
Through the first month of the season, Klein has put up a 6-0-2 record, with a 0.923 save percentage and has helped his team to the top of the AJHL standings.
On Oct. 1, he was recognized for his work in the crease, as the first-year Pontiac was named the league's Player of the Month for September.
The 18-year-old goaltender was humble in discussing the monthly award, calling it a reflection of the team more than the individual.
“I was fortunate enough to be recognized by the league, but this is a team award and so much of the credit goes to the guys playing in front of me,” explained Klein.
But more than personal or team accolades, Klein said he's interested in wins.
“The team always comes first,” he said. “At the end of the day, I could care less about my stats, all I care about is helping my team win. That's the most important stat.”
Since coming to Bonnyville this fall, Klein has done just that.
“We knew what kind of goalie we were bringing in and we had and continue to have high expectations of him,” explained Chad Mercier, Pontiacs head coach and general manager. “I think so far we've seen (Klein) step up for us when the opportunity is presented.”
Klein came to Pontiacs organization this summer after moving to a few different teams last season. The native of Saskatoon started last season in the SJHL before being moved to the Drayton Valley Thunder and then eventually to North Bay of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League.
Mercier said he had interest in bringing Klein to Bonnyville early in his junior career, but the opportunity did not arise until this year.
“I ended up talking to Chad (Mercier) and he presented the situation here and it seemed like a great organization and good opportunity for me to help the team have success,” explained Klein. “I made the decision to come out here this season and I'm glad I did.”
Klein said the organization has a reputation for being very professional, high-paced and hard working.
“I talked to a few of the guys, including (Pontiacs forward Tanner) Dusyk, who I'd played with before, and they had nothing but good things to say about the organization and that's exactly the situation I wanted to be in.”
Dusyk said the confidence Klein has shown in net has had positive repercussions for the entire team.
“When you have someone playing that well back there, with the confidence he has, it brings up the level of play in all the guys playing in front of him,” explained Dusyk. “He allows us to play a little more aggressive, stand up on guys and have a little more of an edge to our game, knowing that he is back there, making the saves he needs to make.”
Mercier said Klein's play will continue to dictate his playing time, which the current starting goalie said suits him just fine.
“The biggest thing with me this year is consistency. That's what I need to bring every night and Chad's given me the opportunity to show what I can do. Getting a chance to play a lot has really helped my game,” said Klein, adding, “The more I play, the better I play.”
