Kurtis Mucha is a good soldier.
For nearly two seasons Mucha has had the unenviable task of tending goal for the woeful Portland Winter Hawks. Portland was easily the worst team in the league last season, and the Winter Hawks are well on their way toward reclaiming the title again this season.
Because of the lack of support in front of him, the talented 18-year-old finds himself regularly subjected to 40, 50, even 60 shots per game. On many occasions Mucha is the only obstacle standing between Portland and double-digit defeat.
But through it all, Mucha has absorbed the punishment without complaint.
Until now.
The understated Mucha let slip a small sign of frustration in an interview with the Portland Tribune last week.
Mucha told the Tribune he wants to stay in Portland and that he didn’t request a trade at the trade deadline — there was much speculation swirling around whether the Winter Hawks would deal Mucha to a contender.
However, he did say he’s becoming weary of all the shots and losses — Portland is a dismal 26-96-2-3 and has been outscored 552-224 during Mucha’s two seasons as the entrenched No. 1 — and he hinted that he might ask out if the Winter Hawks don’t improve next season.
“It’s not a good thing, really, because I don’t want to be accustomed to it,” Mucha said of the losing. “But I don’t know what to do.
“Hopefully we’re good next year. If not, I think it might be time for a change.”
Mucha also expressed some frustration with his teammates.
“You see some players on our team who think they’re better than they are. Too cocky,” Mucha said. “And then there are a couple players who shouldn’t even be in this league. It’s not their fault. They’re being thrown into a situation they’re not used to, and almost set up to fail. But we’ve got nobody else.”
Around the WHL: As rough as Mucha has had it this season, his backup Jordan White did him one better when he faced 72 shots in Portland’s 4-0 loss to Seattle on Saturday. White made the bulk of his 68 saves before the T-birds finally got on the board with 6 minutes, 51 seconds remaining in the game. … The bad blood reached the boiling point between the Regina Pats and Saskatoon Blades. The teams played twice in six days last week, with both games erupting in line brawls. In total the league handed out $2,500 worth of fines between the two teams, with each team still subject to another fine of undermined size. Also, both Regina coach Curtis Hunt and Saskatoon coach Lorne Molleken were suspended for indefinite periods. … Calgary center Ryan White was named the WHL Player of the Week. White had five goals and five assists as the Hitmen went 4-0.
League leaders: Points — Colin Long (Kelowna) 82; goals — Colton Yellow Horn (Tri-City) 36; assists — Long 59; penalty minutes — Scott Gabriel (Portland) 179; wins — Tyson Sexsmith (Vancouver), Chet Pickard (Tri-City) 33; goals against average — Sexsmith 1.95; save percentage — Jacob DeSerres (Seattle) .922.
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