The Summerland steam bolstered their goaltending by adding Austin Wells on Thursday.
The Steam acquired 1995-born Austin Wells, who spent the past two seasons with the Rebels and in 2014-15 posted a 3.01 goals against average and a .922 save percent with a win-loss record of 14-10. He helped the Rebels finish second in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League's Neil Murdoch Division.
The Steam blog, Trolley Talk, reports that Wells, a Calgary native, joins recent signee Matt Huber, also of Calgary, to form a tandem on paper that rivals any team in the KIJHL. Both goalies have spent time training at Peak Power Sport Development in Calgary at the same time. Huber was signed earlier in the week and spent last season with the Calgary Flames midget AAA program and played two games with the Alberta Junior Hockey League's Calgary Mustangs. In his two appearances, Huber posted a 2.31 goals against average and .944 save percentage.
The Steam made another signing earlier this week with defenceman Matt Monk of Langley. Monk played for the Valley West Hawks posting two assists in nine games. The team also signed Penticton's Michael McLean.
The Steam management of general manager Gregg Wilson, director of player personal Mike Rigby and coach John DePourcq, feel they have a deeper team then the one which competed for the Okanagan Division final last season.
The Steam plays its first exhibition game on Sept. 3 in Kelowna against the Chiefs. They then face the Osoyoos Coyotes on Sept. 5 before playing their lone home game Sept. 8 against the Coyotes.