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Scout
04-16-2006, 08:12 AM
Hawks' goaltending future looks bright with Mucha between pipes

Courtesy CHL Prospects


Solid goaltending is a critical element to any successful WHL team. For the Portland Winter Hawks, 16-year-old rookie netminder Kurtis Mucha just might be the guy to backstop the team to future success.

The 6'1", 171-pound product of Sherwood Park, AB, has impressed since becoming Hawks' main man in net in late January after injuries to Luke Shier and Dustin Butler.

Mucha performed particularly well down the stretch as the Hawks rallied to secure a playoff spot, and carried that strong play into the playoffs where he helped the Hawks win a dramatic seven-game first-round series versus Seattle.

"Overall, I think it's been pretty good," said Mucha about his first season in the WHL. "I know I started off pretty slow with the team having three goalies to start the season. I didn't get to play a lot in the beginning, but it really started to pick up after Shier and Butler went down with injuries."

Being a 16-year-old rookie in the WHL can have its challenges. For most players, it involves moving away from home, friends and family, going to a new school, and getting accustomed to a higher level of hockey with a new team. Being a 16-year-old rookie goaltender - one of the most high-pressure roles - can be even more challenging. Mucha says the adjustment to life in the WHL took time, but he's had plenty of help along the way.

"It was definitely a different experience at first," said Mucha. "But, I have a really good billet, and I live with another player on the team, Cameron Cepek, who have both really helped me get through it.

"My teammates and the coaches have been very supportive, and they are always open to helping me with any problems I have," he added.

As for his play on the ice, Mucha says there was an adjustment to the WHL level. However, he says, as the season progressed, so did his comfort and confidence levels.

"I found the pace of the game was a lot quicker, and the shots came at you much quicker, so I just had to adjust to that over the first half of the season," said Mucha, who played for the Sherwood Park AAA Midgets last season, and saw two games of WHL action with the Winter Hawks as a 15-year-old.

"I though I started playing much more consistent at the end of the season, especially in March, and I started to play with more confidence," he said.

His numbers down the regular-season stretch - a 10-2-3 record, two shutouts, and a goals-against average just under 2.00 in his final 15 starts - certainly showed he had come along way.

He carried his strong play into the post-season, where he helped the Hawks to a first-round series win over U.S. Division rivals Seattle that culminated with a dramatic come-from-behind overtime win in Game 7, and almost single-handedly stole the opening game of the Hawks' second-round series versus Vancouver with a brilliant 41-save shutout performance.

"It was a bit of an up-and-down start to the playoffs for me," said Mucha of his first WHL playoff experience. "I was shaky in Game 1 versus Seattle, but bounced back with a shutout in Game 2. The team really helped me out and gave me support in that Seattle series.

"Everything is so much more intense, and every goal is huge in the playoffs," said Mucha. "You can't let in bad goals at this time of year, or you let your team down."

Mucha may not be expected to backstop the Winter Hawks to a WHL championship this year. But, then again, he wasn't supposed to be the team's number one goaltender this season, either.

With his performance this season as a 16-year-old rookie, it's a safe bet Kurtis Mucha will have plenty more opportunities to lead the Hawks to big things over the next few years.

Jesse Watts
whl.ca

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