Photo credit: John Hill

By Regan Bartel

Dialed in goalie playing terrific

Jari Kykkanen focused on fun over personal stats

Mar 13, 2024 | 8:00 AM

He has been arguably the team’s most consistent player in the last month.

Goaltender Jari Kykkanen is one of the main reasons why the Kelowna Rockets are riding a season-high five-game winning streak.

Over that stretch, the 19-year-old has a goals-against average of 1.77.

“I have just been having fun, not caring about the stats and just enjoying the game,” he told RocketFAN.

An eye-popping .946 save percentage is proof that the sixth-round bantam prospect pick is playing his best hockey of the season.

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“As a goaltender, it is hard to be consistent,” he added. “It is hard to stay focused for 60 minutes, especially when you are playing back-to-back games.”

Kykkanen has started a career-high 14 consecutive games, which is just shy of the 18 straight that Michael Herringer played back in the 2015-2016 season.

“Playing that many games is tough on the body,” he admitted. “It is not easy at all, but it is a lot of fun. I enjoy playing games, so I am having fun playing this many.”

Since February 19^th, Kykkanen’s record is an impressive 6-2-0-0, with the 47 games he has appeared in this season, 14 more than in his sophomore campaign.

“Mentally it is probably harder than physically,” he said. “The game is 85 percent mental, so staying focused and sharp isn’t easy.”

With backup Jake Pilon pushing him in practice and goalie coach Eli Wilson helping him perfect his craft, the Lloydminster, Alberta product is showing why the NHL’s Calgary Flames brought him to rookie camp this past fall.

“He [Wilson] has done so much for my game, but more for me as a person. I can’t say enough good things about him. He is always in my corner. He always has my back. He is always there when I need him or have to call him after a game.”

Wilson has made it a point of traveling more with the team in the second half of the season, and it shows with Kykkanen’s improved play. Is it a coincidence, or is having his expertise around more often providing fruitful results?

“It is nice to have him on the road,” Kykkanen admitted. “He is a good sounding board, and it is nice to have him before pre-game skates. It is nice to have him along and supporting us.”

With points in eight straight (7-0-1-0), the task of winning games will get much harder over the next three games against Prince George tonight [104.7 The Lizard has the pre-game show at 6:35 pm), before facing the Everett Silvertips in a home-and-home series this weekend.

“They [teammates] make it easy for me,” he said. “I’ve had some easy games. They have cleared out shots. I see every shot. They are battling net front. They are clearing rebounds. They have been awesome in front of me and make my job easy.”

Sitting in fifth place in the Western Conference, two points back of the Wenatchee Wild, a win tonight would move the team into a tie for fourth spot, which would give them an even better chance at home-ice advantage in round one.

“This is an exciting time,” Kykkanen added. “Playoffs is some of the best hockey around. It is my favourite time of the season; how competitive it is and how dialed in everyone is.”

No matter who the Rockets face when the regular season ends on March 23^rd, Kykkanen will have to continue his dominant play for the team to get into the second round for the first time since 2017.

“Starting last year in the playoffs [against Seattle], I have a taste of what it is like and what to expect.

“I am not ready to go home yet.”