Dawson MacAuley's dream of playing in the Western Hockey League is about to come true.
The 6-foot-6, 202-pound goaltender got word from the Regina Pats that he won't be returning to the Yorkton Terriers prior to the start of the regular-season following the club's decision to name him one of their opening night puck stoppers.
"It was really exciting when I saw they picked me to be one of the two goalies," says MacAuley. "I really wanted to make this team. It was a big goal for me over the summer to make the Pats."
MacAuely went into Pats training camp in a three-way 19-year-old battle with Adam Beukeboom and Teagan Sacher for the starting job. After a pair of pre-season games, Regina chose to cut Beukeboom and go with MacAuley and Sacher.
"I knew competition was tough so I battled hard every practice and game and it was great to be rewarded for that," says MacAuley.
MacAuley impressed in his first two pre-season games against the Prince Albert Raiders. He stopped 25 of 27 shots, averaging a .926 save percentage.
"I was happy with how I played," he says. "I thought I made some good saves and showed what I can do."
As a native of Prince Albert, playing in the Art Hauser Centre as an away player was a first for MacAuley.
"It was a cool experience since that was the first time I played in Prince Albert on the away team," he says. "In midget (where he played for the Prince Albert Mintos), I was always on the home side and am just used to it being that way. And it was cool (to play pre-season games in P.A.) because I had a lot of friends and family there."
Sacher does have a familiarity upper hand on MaCauley because he backed up Matt Hewitt, the Pats' 2012-13 starter who has since graduated from the junior ranks, last year. Nonetheless, with the two goalies being the same age and Sacher not asserting himself last year, the No. 1 job seems to be up for grabs.
"It's a battle for the starting spot," says MacAuley. "We'll see how the rest of pre-season goes and how the start of the regular-season goes, but we both want it and will both work hard for it."
MacAuley's spot with the Pats isn't set in stone, though. There is always a chance they could look to replace him through a trade if they aren't happy with his future performances.
In-season roster changes aren't news to MaCauley. He is fully aware that it's an ongoing battle to stick in the Dub.
"I know I can't stop battling out there and assume my job is safe," he says. "I just have to keep on working and show that I want it."
MacAuley went into Regina very familiar with the WHL training camp process. He took part in four camps with the Medicine Hat Tigers, who drafted him in the second round in 2009. In the first camp he wasn't old enough to make the team, but he was cut the three other times.
"Regina camp was a bit different than Medicine Hat's, but they are very similar. It was good to come here with knowing kind of what to expect.
"It was always tough to get cut. When I was 17 it was disappointing and then again when I was 18. I thought I was ready both years to play in the WHL."
Taking into account MacAuley went onto win an SJHL championship with the Terriers last year and has a great opportunity in Regina, he believes getting cut by the Tigers turned out to be for the best.
"Winning a championship in Yorkton was a great experience," he says. "I improved a lot as a player and gained a great playoff experience. I think things did turn out how they were supposed to now that I'm in Regina."
