Josh Kotai has been a force for the North Stars all season, following up SJHL Top Goaltender honours in the regular season, with a historic playoff run (12-1, 1.72 GAA, .945 save percentage). (Martin Martinson/battlefordsNOW Staff)

By Martin Martinson

Top-five in the Nation

North Stars Kotai named finalist for CJHL Top Goaltender

Apr 27, 2023 | 5:31 PM

Battlefords North Stars goaltender Josh Kotai has been named a finalist for the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s Top Goaltender Award this season.

Kotai, who is already coming off a season for the ages, is one of five at the position from across the nation to be up for the award, joined by Connor Mackenzie (Grande Prairie Storm, AJHL), Alexandre Marchand (Cobras de Terrebonne, LHJAAAQ), Kobe Grant (Swan Valley Stampeders, MJHL), and James Norton (Toronto Junior Canadiens, OJHL).

Each of the nominees were determined through a voting process completed by the CJHL’s nine-member leagues, recognized for their efforts over the season.

The University of Augustana Div I commit, earned SJHL Top Goaltender honours this season in runaway fashion, also making the shortlist for League MVP, posting league-best totals across the board in a clean-sweep of each major goaltending statistic.

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Posting a 32-4-2-1 record overall in 39 games, Kotai became the fastest goalie to 30 wins in a season over the last 15 years in the SJHL, while his 2.39 goals against average and .935 save percentage were also most in the league, pacing all at the position virtually wire-to-wire from the start of the year to the finish.

Ever the team-first player, the Abbotsford, BC., product is quick to bring up his teammates, when asked about his success this season.

“To win a goaltender award, it’s not just myself, but a tribute to our team and how well they’ve been able to play in front of me too,” Kotai said.

“I just came here hoping to play some hockey and it was definitely a new environment, but it’s really been kind of a perfect year for everyone,” he continued, reflecting on his first season in the Battlefords.

“The start to the season was amazing for us, then being able to go to the [SJHL/MJHL] Showcase, and to finish the playoffs winning a championship with this team, was super exciting.”

Perhaps most impressive about Kotai’s stats, is the sheer volume of shots he was able to turn aside this season, while posting the glowing numbers. Kotai faced the second-most shots in the entire league over the course of the regular season, with 1,411 total fired his way.

In the playoffs Kotai then continued his dominance between the pipes, only taking his game to an even higher level. Kotai posted a 12-1 record on the Stars’ 13-game run to the championship, that included four-game sweeps of both Melfort in the semi-finals and Fin Flon in the finals.

Additionally, he also secured three shutouts (one in each series), with a 1.72 goals against average and .945 save percentage, to become just the second SJHL goaltender of the last 15-plus years to post such sparkling numbers on a championship run.

After allowing just 10 goals against total (2.0 against per game) in the Stars’ five-game quarterfinals series versus the Weyburn Red Wings, the Stars’ stopper slammed the door even tighter in the semis.

There, Kotai allowed just five goals total in a four-game sweep of the fourth-seeded Melfort Mustangs, highlighted by a 44-save shutout performance in double OT of Game 3 of the series.

In the finals, Kotai again allowed just eight goals in four games (2.0 against per game) against third-seeded Flin Flon, to backstop the North Stars to the championship with a second-straight series sweep.

“He’s just a true professional,” head coach of the Stars Brayden Klimosko said of Kotai. “He works hard and really competes hard every day. I think he really has a chance to win [this award], and even if he doesn’t, he’s a guy who has a bright future ahead.”

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Martin.Martinson@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MartyMartyPxP1