Great goaltending can take you a long way.
Sadly, more times than not in this young season, the Kelowna Rockets have been void of it.
That all changed Friday night in Everett, with rookie Jake Pilon turning in an excellent performance.
The just-turned 17-year-old, who has a quiet demeanour about him, looked equally composed in facing 39 shots in a 2-1 road loss.
“It was a quick bus ride, and I was feeling good,” Pilon told RocketFAN about the Rockets busing game day to meet the Tips, something that isn’t typical for a team that stays in a hotel the night prior unless they are traveling from a different city or play a home game the night before. “I got out for warmups, got in there, and felt the puck, and it turned out good.”
Did it ever! Pilon was dialed in from the opening face-off where he ended the opening period making 10 of 11 saves.
“For sure getting a lot of shots early helps me get into the game,” he said.
Looking big and bold, Pilon used a combination of cat-like reflexes and great positioning to frustrate Tips shooters all night long. The Calgary residents’ best save came in the second period when he robbed Ben Hemmerling of a sure goal, with a great glove-hand save when the forward was left unchecked in front of the Rockets net.
“That was awesome,” Pilon admitting after making the monster stop against the Vegas Golden Knights sixth rounder. “I was pretty fired up after that one.
“I just shoulder checked a guy backdoor, and I put my glove hand out and the next thing I knew, the puck was in my glove.”
Making it sound like it was a lucky stop, RocketFAN had to inquire if there indeed was skill involved.
“I put it [glove] there”, the quiet goalie said with a smile on his face. “It was definitely a good save for sure.”
While Pilon robbed Hemmerling of his 6th goal of the season, it was one he would eventually achieve in the third period with the eventual game winner.
“It is something I have been working on for a while,” Pilon describing his ability to move adeptly from side to side, which isn’t easy for a goalie who stands in at 6’4 and weighs 194 pounds. “I struggled with it for a little bit, but I have been focusing on it a lot.”
Pilon’s performance came on a night when Eli Wilson, the Kelowna Rockets goaltending guru was in the stands watching. Wilson has made the road trip with the team to have a hands-on approach.
“We went over some video the day before which was helpful,” Pilon admitted. “When he [Wilson] is here, its awesome. It is good he can see in person.”
Let’s remember, Pilon is a work in progress, much like any junior goalie cutting his teeth in major junior hockey. The pride of the Bow River Minor Hockey Association knows he will have his ups and his downs.
“At times it seems chaotic out on the ice, but I try to stay as calm as possible and that helps the boys because if I am panicking, they will panic too.”
Starting eight of the team’s 18 games this season isn’t ideal with injuries to starter Jari Kykkanen, which has twice kept him out of action for a combined six games. Pilon is attempting to hold the fort until the 19-year-old is healthy and back in the lineup.
“It is super for my development”, he said about the uptick in in-game action. “I just try to play my best every chance I get and make the most of it.”
With only one WHL win to his credit, and a goals-against average that is higher than most goalies would consider acceptable, Pilon is taking the results in stride.
“You just need to breathe, and don’t let it get to you,” Pilon concluded.
“When things don’t go well, shake it off and move on to the next save.”
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