Mike Fountain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Position | Goaltender |
| Catches | Left |
| Height Weight |
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg/12 st 12 lb) |
| RSL Team F. teams |
Lada Togliatti Vancouver Canucks Carolina Hurricanes Ottawa Senators |
| Nationality |  Canada |
| Born | June 17, 1979 , North York, Ontario |
| NHL Draft | 45th overall, 1992 Vancouver Canucks |
| Pro career | 1992 – present |
Mike Fountain (born January 26, 1972 in North York, Ontario) is a professional ice hockey goaltender who has spent parts of three seasons in the National Hockey League. He currently plays for Lada Togliatti in the Russian Super League.
[edit] Playing career
Fountain played two seasons of junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League with the Oshawa Generals and was named to the OHL First All-Star team in 1992. He was also the spare netminder for Canada at that year's World Junior Championships. Following his junior success, Fountain was selected 45th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Vancouver Canucks.
Fountain turned pro for the 1992–93 season, and was assigned to the Hamilton Canucks of the American Hockey League. He established himself as one of the top goalies outside of the NHL with a standout 1993–94 campaign, during which he led the AHL with 70 appearances, 34 wins, and 4 shutouts, and was named to the league's Second All-Star Team.
However, cracking the NHL would be difficult for Fountain. Just as it appeared he was ready to succeed Kay Whitmore as the backup to Kirk McLean with the Canucks, the team acquired highly-rated Corey Hirsch, who passed Fountain on the depth chart and was promoted directly to the NHL. Fountain proceeded to toil for two more seasons in the AHL without getting an NHL opportunity. He was finally able to make his NHL debut mid-way through the 1996–97 season, and did so in memorable style. He became one of a select group of netminders to record a shutout in their first NHL game, doing so against the New Jersey Devils, and nearly scored a goal as well, hitting the post on a shot toward the empty net late in the game. He finished the year with a 2–2–0 record and a 3.43 GAA in 6 appearances.
Fountain left Vancouver to sign as a free agent with the Carolina Hurricanes for the 1997–98 season, but struggled when given an opportunity in Carolina, losing all three of his starts and spending most of the next two years in the AHL. He signed with the Ottawa Senators in 1999 and spent two seasons with the organization as their third goaltender, appearing in one NHL game in both years while performing well in the AHL.
In 2001, Fountain left North America to sign in the Russian Super League with Lada Togliatti and led the RHL in GAA in his first season. After two years in Russia, he signed in Germany for 2003–04 with the Iserlohn Roosters. He returned to Russia in 2005, playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk before re-joining Lada Togliatti in 2006.
Fountain has appeared in 11 NHL games, posting a 2–6–0 record with a 3.47 GAA.
