Voyageurs boast two goalies
By Doug Graham, The Kingston Whig-Standard – With wins in 22 of their first 23 games, it’s clear the Kingston Kimco Voyageurs have been able to deal with the loss of their puck-stopping tandem from last season.
When Shawn Sirman and Cody Rosen moved on to Division I U. S. college hockey play, it left a void that was a worry to the Vees coaching staff.
Enter Joel Vienneau and Landon Noel, two 17-year-olds from northern Ontario.
The transition has not only been smooth, it has been spectacular.
“We had big shoes to fill but for two (17-year-olds) coming in here and having that responsibility, I’d say we have done pretty (well),” said Noel, who is from Sudbury.
“We’ve taken care of whatever we needed to take care of.”
Vienneau, at six-foot-three and 185 pounds, is 14-1 with a 1.66 goals-against average which leads the league. He also has a superb .938 save percentage.
Vienneau, who is from Hearst (west of Kapuskasing), which was a 13-hour car drive for him and his parents when he came to Kingston over the summer, played Tier II junior A for the Abitibi Eskimos of the Northern League last year. “We’re first and second in the league (in goaltending). You can’t ask for better than that,” Vienneau said.
“We’re rolling and everything is going well for the team.”
Both goalies, although drafted by Ontario Hockey League teams (Vienneau by the Guelph Storm and Noel by the London Knights), are examining U. S. college hockey.
“I said no (to attending Guelph’s camp) this year because I want to go the NCAA route,” Vienneau said.
