Denis Kirstein has been accustomed to playing hockey at a high level virtually his entire life.

Be it as a member of the prestigious Pittsburgh Hornets as a youth, or serving as a captain of the Junior A national champion Pittsburgh Forge as a teenager, or becoming a four-year contributor to an NCAA Division I program, Kirstein has continually met the challenges associated with moving up to an even more elite level of play.

Now, this Bethel Park native will have his wares tested at the professional level.

A 6-foot, 200-pound defenseman, Kirstein signed with the Youngstown SteelHounds of the Central Hockey League last month.

"Obviously, any time you go from Division I hockey to pro hockey, there's going to be an adjustment," said Kirstein, who is being billed by the SteelHounds as the first local player to sign with the team.

"But that's not unlike junior hockey to college. Guys are bigger, stronger, faster, and you need to adjust to that speed and quickness."

Kirstein should know. He had his first taste of professional hockey at the "Double-A" level last season, in an eight-game tryout with the Toledo Storm of the ECHL.

The ECHL -- in which the Wheeling Nailers and Johnstown Chiefs play -- is roughly the equivalent of the CHL in terms of level of play. Youngstown is in its third season of existence.

"Any time you get an opportunity to play pro hockey, it's a great feeling," said Kirstein, 24. "That was a goal of mine since I was a young kid, and Youngstown has given me the chance to do that."

Kirstein played for two seasons with the Pittsburgh Forge, who won the USA Hockey national championship with him roaming the blue line in 2003.

He went on to play at Division I Mercyhurst College for four seasons. He had three goals, 20 assists and 104 penalty minutes in 102 games for the Lakers.

"As I was taking the steps [through levels of hockey], I realized I wasn't going to be a draft pick at 18 or 19 years old, like Sidney Crosby" said Kirstein, who is joined on the SteelHounds by former Mercyhurst teammate Erik Johnson.

"I knew I had to take my time and work as hard as I can, move up through juniors and college. I never knew if it would become a reality, but playing for Toledo was an awesome feeling. It made me want to keep working so I can keep playing."

Kirstein is a solid stay-at-home defenseman with good passing skills who said he will continue to work on becoming stronger and faster in order to keep up with the CHL's skilled offensive players -- and keep them from out of the front of the SteelHounds' net.

"I've got to play positionally well in pro hockey," Kirstein said.

The SteelHounds play their games at the Chevrolet Centre in downtown Youngstown, which is about 70 minutes from Pittsburgh, so family members will be regulars at Kirstein's home games.

Kirstein, who said the close proximity of the SteelHounds played a factor in his decision to sign there, is just the latest professional player from what is becoming a fertile hockey-talent-producing area in Western Pennsylvania.

"In my age group and a little older, Mario [Lemieux] really put hockey on the map in Pittsburgh," Kirstein said. "You're seeing a lot of players given the opportunity play at a high level, which is awesome."

Kirstein, who finished his public relations degree over the Internet while playing for Toledo last spring, is considering eventually going to graduate school to join in the sports management field -- that is, once his playing career is over.

He would not rule out a career in hockey.

But that's the long-term future. As of right now, he couldn't be happier than to be in the CHL and playing for Youngstown.

"I'm not sure what I want to do other than hockey," he said. "I do know for sure I want to play pro hockey, work my way up. Anything's possible.

I have the opportunity to fulfill a dream of mine to play pro hockey with the SteelHounds. That's what I'm focusing on now."