Beck Boiteau doesn’t track his stats.
He tracks wins.
“I don’t even know what my numbers are right now,” he says.
That might surprise some, considering the Golden Rockets netminder sits among the KIJHL leaders in victories. But for Boiteau, the only number that matters is the one in the win column.
For those who do care about the numbers, the Medicine Hat, Alta., native is 19-11-0 with a .915 save percentage, a 3.22 goals-against average and one shutout.
He ranks fourth in the KIJHL in wins (19), 11th in save percentage and 16th in goals-against average. Boiteau has also been named to the league’s Team of the Week twice, including a First Team selection.
The Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Notebook turns its focus to the Rockets netminder.
A draft pick of the Everett Silvertips — selected 163rd overall in the eighth round of the 2021 WHL Draft — Boiteau spoke about his season and the strides he’s made in his game.
KIJHL: What have you liked about how you have played this season?
Boiteau: I had a really strong start in the first half and I felt really good again at the beginning of January. I think we’re back on track heading into the playoffs.
KIJHL: Was there a stretch where you felt you weren’t playing to your standard?
Boiteau: Yeah, that’s exactly how I felt. I was OK, but I hold myself to a high standard, especially playing on a team like Golden. I want to go to battle for the guys every single night and be the best I can be.
KIJHL: What strides have you made to become a better goalie?
Boiteau: I’ve made a lot of progress working with our goalie coach Josh Thorimbert. We do video twice a week and break down my game. I’ve really focused on becoming a calmer, more composed goalie compared to previous years. I used to rely more on athleticism, but being calm and simplifying my game has brought me more success.
We’ve also worked a lot on my RVH positioning — stick placement, posture and knowing when to use different tools around the posts. He’s given me ideas and adjustments that I’ve been able to implement, and it’s worked out really well.
KIJHL: How does it feel to contribute to the team’s success — you have 19 of the team’s 22 wins?
Boiteau: It feels good. At the end of the day, all I care about is getting the win. I want to win so bad — that’s the only thing that matters to me.
KIJHL: What are you looking forward to about the playoffs?
Boiteau: I missed playoffs last year in Estevan, so it’s really nice to have that feeling back. This is what we worked for all year. The guys are fully confident that we can go all the way, and that makes it even more exciting. I’m excited to see what we can do when crunch time comes.
KIJHL: What do you like about this group and what it can potentially accomplish?
Boiteau: It starts in the room. Everybody’s close and we’re always together doing stuff off the ice. On the ice, we’ve seen what we can do. We’ve beaten Kimberley twice, we’ve beaten some really good teams and we’ve exceeded expectations this year. It’s been really fun to be a part of.
Read the latest KIJHL Notebook.
