Jamie Mountain
He may be the youngest guy on the team but his puck-stopping abilities make him look more like a seasoned veteran.
Darian Klem has been a star between the pipes for the Muskie boys’ hockey team this season, starting in goal in each of the black-and-gold’s 11 games so far in NorWOSSA regular-season play.
Heading into Saturday night’s 17-2 drubbing of the visiting Red Lake Rams at the Ice For Kids Arena that clinched first place and home-ice advantage throughout the NorWOSSA playoffs, Klem led all goalies with nine wins and a 1.88 GAA.
“Just a bunch of practices really helped, finally got used to the shots, I think, and the speed [of the game] has definitely picked up, which I’ve gotten used to,” Klem said about his transition into high school hockey.
“The guys are helping [me] out so it’s been pretty good,” he added.
As the lone Grade 9 player on the squad, Klem said he’s looked to the veterans for guidance and support this season.
“Our captains [Eric Pitkanen and Byron Stewart] have been a real help to me [with their] great leadership and stuff like that,” he remarked.
“They’re just great guys and great hockey players, too.”
Unfortunately for the Rams, they caught an ill-tempered Muskie squad that just had suffered its first loss of the NorWOSSA season–a 4-2 setback to the host Dryden Eagles on Thursday.
Connor Nelson and Kaleb Bruyere notched the goals for the Muskies in that one while Klem surrendered three of the four goals (last one was scored into an empty net) in taking his first loss of the season.
But the black-and-gold were determined not to let that loss derail the success they’ve enjoyed so far this season.
Cole Magill scored twice and had four assists, Eric Pitkanen lit the lamp four times and added a helper, and Byron Stewart notched a goal and four helpers to pace the Muskies’ onslaught Saturday night against the Rams.
Fort High exploded for a 3-0 lead through the first 1:07 of the opening period on tallies by Jake Barker, Jace Jackson, and Pitkanen.
The Rams finally got on the board with 5:18 left in the frame.
But Magill tallied, with Pitkanen then striking back-to-back, as the Muskies led 6-1 after 20 minutes.
“I wasn’t expecting to score three before the seats were warm,” Muskie head coach Jordan Sinclair conceded after the game.
“We got off to a good start.
“To put it politely, I guess, we really “wet the bed” up in Dryden the other night, so we talked before the game about what we need to get back to and do better,” he noted.
“Also [about] what we need to change going forward, and our preparation and being consistent were things we talked about.
“So it was good to see us get off to a good, quick start like that,” Sinclair said.
Stewart, Bruyere, Dayton Labbe, and Kendyn Faragher all bulged the twine in the second frame to give Fort High a 10-1 cushion.
Jon Busch, Nelson, Magill, Reed Bodnar, and Pitkanen all struck early in the third to push it to 15-1.
Red Lake got one back at 10:17 but Austin Armstrong and Kaden Nelson later tallied to cap the scoring.
Klem wasn’t tested often in earning the win.
“It was hard [staying focused], no shots almost, maybe five [of them], so you kinda lose your focus [and] staring at the roof a few times,” Klem chuckled afterwards.
The black-and-gold will wrap up their regular-season play this week.
They were in Dryden yesterday to play the Eagles (the outcome wasn’t known as of press time), then will face the Rams in back-to-back games Friday and Saturday in Red Lake.
Then they’ll cap the weekend with a make-up game against the host Sioux Lookout Warriors on Sunday for the one that was postponed back on Jan. 30 due to inclement weather.
Sinclair knows his squad will have to stayed focused in order to head into the playoffs at the top of their game.
“We definitely want to make sure that our preparation and consistency [are good] moving forward here,” he remarked.
“Especially going forward here in the league, we need a more consistent effort, complete effort, from everybody.
“Thursday night was a real good slap in the face and wake-up call for us, so it’s nice to get an opportunity right back at Dryden again,” Sinclair added.
“I don’t doubt that we’re going to be ready and we’re going to be a lot sharper than we were Thursday.”
