Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

The gear, the pressure, the moment

Calm in the crease: Josh Banini thrives when the game gets loudest

Oct 25, 2025 | 6:00 AM

Of all the positions in hockey, one begs the biggest question: why would anyone choose to be a goaltender? It is the loneliest spot on the ice, the most pressure-filled, and when things go wrong, everyone knows exactly who was standing in the crease. Yet for Josh Banini, the answer is simple. It is the gear, the pressure, and the chance to be the difference maker.

“I think for sure the gear,” he said. “Like when you get the chance to customize gear and get a mask painted, that’s the best part, and then obviously saving the team, right? Like, that’s the moments you live for.”

Banini has been in the net for every one of the Kelowna Rockets’ four wins this season. His latest was a brilliant performance in a 2-1 shootout victory Wednesday night on the road, where he was named the first star. The crease belongs to him now, and he is earning it with calm, confidence and a competitive streak that is impossible to ignore.

His path to Kelowna came with expectations. Veteran goaltender Jake Pilon was traded to make space, a move that could have created tension, yet Banini only speaks with respect.

“Jake’s a great guy,” he said. “He could have easily not been a great person to me, but he was like the first guy to welcome me when I came in. Nothing but respect for Jake.”

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Pressure comes with the job, but so does responsibility. Ask him about losing and his reply is not about personal stats, it is about his teammates.

“I think I’ve always been like that. I don’t want to lose,” he said. “If we lose, I feel like the pain of my teammates almost. Even if we get scored on, I know that’s going on their stat sheet too, a minus. Every play means a lot to me and means a lot to my teammates.”

That mindset is exactly why the coaching staff trusts him in the biggest moments. He does not run from pressure. He leans into it.

There is an emotional edge in his game, raw reaction and energy that pours through his teammates, but it is controlled. “The game means a lot to me,” he said, “but I’m able to keep it in check and continue to play my game, and I think that just comes with experience.”

This season brought new teammates, new expectations and a new structure. Banini never denied it was an adjustment.

“Obviously a new team, new structure and everything, so it’s a lot to get used to,” he said. “I feel comfortable here and I want to show that and run with it.”

Communication is crucial for any goaltender, and early on he admits there were hiccups.

“It’s new here, new voices,” he said. “The first game I was kind of confused whether to pass it or set it behind the net. Like a miscommunication there, but now I feel comfortable for sure.”

He has also built an important relationship with fellow goaltender Harrison Boettinger, two very different personalities sharing the same crease.

“I think he’s a bit quieter, but if you get to know him, you can crack a few jokes with him too,” Banini said. “Harry’s a great goalie. I’ve learned a lot from his game. We’re both pushing for a starting spot and we’re both playing well. I think we’re pretty good buddies so far.”

Ask him to break down Harrison’s style and he smiles. “He’s really good at looking off the puck. He knows what is going on around the ice,” he said. “He’s athletic, he’s really smart, really good with his hands. He’s got a lot of things that can help me.”

Banini knows his own game as well. He is acrobatic, emotional and never afraid of a spotlight.

Growing up, he idolized goaltenders with flair. “My favorite goalie was Corey Crawford and Pekka Rinne,” he said. “I love Pekka Rinne’s athleticism. He played with a lot of passion. Kind of similar to Marc Andre Fleury. They both just play with a lot of passion and kind of love for the game.”

Pressure can break some players. Banini says it fuels him.

“I prepare through the week and I pride myself on that,” he said. “Whatever the result is, as long as I give everything, like put my whole heart into it, I’m not so nervous that I can’t do my job.”

He admits he used to tighten up before games, but not anymore. “When I was younger, I’d get so nervous, but right now I feel great, I feel loose and excited.”

There is still urgency. This is a Memorial Cup host team. Expectations are high.

“For sure, there’s pressure on us,” Banini said. “The eyes are all on us this year. Our record right now is unacceptable and we have to be a better team. We don’t want to be going into Christmas looking like this.”

And yet, night after night, when the Rockets do win, it is with him in the net.

So why choose to be a goaltender?

Maybe because it is the one position where you can steal a game, save a season and carry a team’s belief on your shoulders.

Or maybe, as Josh Banini shows, it is because some people are built for pressure.