Nearly a third of the way through the Bonnyville Jr. A Pontiacs 2011-12 season — that has the team tied for second with the Fort McMurray Oil Barons in the Alberta Junior Hockey League's North Division just two points behind the Spruce Grove Saints — it would be accurate to say players and coaches are happy with the results but not necessarily the path taken to get there.
The Pontiacs have been plagued by inconsistent play this year, which the coaches and players have attributed to periods of lacking focus and effort on the ice.
Despite the ups and downs through the early part of the season, one area of the team has remained remarkably consistent.
Through 18 games this season, first-year Pontiac goalies Dylan Wells and Curtis Honey have split playing time almost exactly down the middle. The coaching staff's decision to alternate the goalies on a near-nightly basis seems to have paid off so far.
Wells, a 20-year-old from Nashville Tennessee with prior junior A experience, has posted a 7-2 record with one shutout and a 91.64 save percentage.
His counterpart Honey, a 17-year-old minor midget AAA standout from Edmonton, has notched a 6-3 record so far, with two shutouts and 91.73 save percentage.
Honey and Wells have only allowed 22 and 23 goals in nine starts, respectively. Their near-identical records are noteworthy for fans, but it's the goalies' strong play so far this season that has led to tough decisions for the Pontiacs coaching staff.
"Both guys have been playing so well," said Mercier, following the 2-1 shootout win over Lloydminister this past week. "Wells got a shutout (Oct. 7) ... then Honey comes back and pitches back-to-back shutouts (Oct. 8, 14). It's a decision we made to reward a guy that got back-to-back shutouts and it just tells you how stiff the competition in net is that it's that tough for a guy to get a back-to-back game."
Up until Honey made two straight starts Oct. 14 and 15, both goalies had only played in a back-to-back situation once. Both came in the first four games of the regular season, when Wells started Games 1 and 2 and Honey took the crease for Games 3 and 4.
Splitting time in net doesn't seem to bother the goalies, however. Both Wells and Honey, on separate occasions, have acknowledged the relationship that has formed between the two and their ability to push each other to be better in net.
Pontiacs players have also found no issues with having two capable starting goalies. This past week forward Tommy Barszcz praised the play of Wells and Honey, saying the team is confident regardless which goalie stands between the pipes.
Mercier said he is happy with the play he is getting from his goalies, adding he will continue to split their time in net. However, he is unlikely to answer any further questions on the topic.
"Everybody around seems to be making a lot bigger deal of (our goalies splitting time in net) than we are and the goalies are themselves. I've probably answered that question 30 times and to me it's a non-issue.
"Both guys can play. Both guys are going to play. We'll make the decisions of who plays when."
