Sault goaltender signs with Windsor

Goaltender Mario Culina has turned an Ontario Hockey League invite into a major opportunity.

The 18-year-old signed with the Windsor Spitfires on Thursday after being brought to training camp as a free agent invite.

He played well and was arguably our best goaltender throughout camp,” Spitfires General Manager Warren Rychel said in a team release. “Our staff and goaltending people really like him, He’s tall and covers a lot of the net but moves really well too.”

In 28 regular season games last season with the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Soo Thunderbirds, Culina posted a 21-7-0 record with a 2.24 goals against average and a 0.912 save percentage.

In the playoffs, Culina posted a perfect 6-0 record, a 1.23 GAA and 0.945 save percentage in seven games. That included posting a 4-0 record against the Cochrane Crunch in the NOJHL final where he surrendered just five goals in the four victories.

“I knew coming into camp I would have to steal a job,” the Sault Ste. Marie native said. “I had to work really hard and show the coaches what I had. That hard work has paid off.”

Culina was named the Thunderbirds rookie of the year following the season.

“The goal every season is to develop players and Mario has earned the opportunity to play in the OHL following a tremendous season last year,” Thunderbirds General Manager Jamie Henderson said.

Culina and the Spitfires open the 2015 exhibition season on Saturday night against the Oshawa Generals.