Kaapo Kahkonen insisted it will be a game day like any other.
While the Laval Rocket goaltender isn’t sure what time he’ll rise, breakfast will consist of steak and eggs, over easy. The protein will help to keep him full all day.
And when Kahkonen arrives at Place Bell in Laval for the fifth, and deciding, game of Laval’s playoff series against Toronto on Saturday (3 p.m., RDS) there will be open communication with his teammates — at least those who wish to talk.
Goalies might be a unique breed, and they all have different manners in which they approach and focus on games. But Kahkonen said there’s no reason to change his routine, despite the significant stake.
“It’s an important game, and the focus has to be there,” Kahkonen said Thursday after an off-ice training session. “You have to focus really hard on the things you have to do, but you can’t force anything. For goalies, it’s shot after shot — all those good clichés. That gives you the best chance.
“That game, being at home, is a big game for us. The overall vibe in the room? We’re embracing it. It’s positive. I talk to them. They talk to me. It’s a big piece, communicating. Be yourself. If some guys want to be quiet, you have to respect that. But you don’t want to change too much. Why would you? Then you’re doing something you’re not usually doing. That tells me this guy might be nervous. Or something’s going on. Keep it loose and positive, but focus is the right word.”
It’s not easy being a goaltender — just ask the Canadiens’ Jakub Dobes — especially in the playoffs.
Two days after allowing six goals in the Game 2 loss to the Marlies last Friday, Kahkonen started the third game in Toronto. But he was pulled after allowing four goals on 12 shots in the opening period, replaced by Hunter Shepard in a second consecutive 6-2 defeat.
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Laval head coach Pascal Vincent showed faith in the 29-year-old Finnish veteran, starting him on Tuesday with the Rocket facing elimination. Kahkonen, who has 140 games of NHL experience with Minnesota, San Jose, New Jersey and Colorado, rose to the challenge. He blocked 18 shots in a 4-0 shutout, setting up Saturday’s winner-take-all game.
“If you ask him, there was one (bad goal Sunday), but it wouldn’t have changed the final result,” Vincent said. “Part of it was also to protect him and change the momentum of the game.
“He showed me poise and confidence on Tuesday,” Vincent added. “He played big. I thought he was in control. I didn’t see a guy that was hesitant. I thought he was really comfortable.”
Kahkonen has often said a goalie can’t win a game, but as the last line of defence, can become vulnerable and cost his club a contest. And when a goalie allows four first-period goals — one after only 11 seconds — he instantly becomes the scapegoat. But while there was one Toronto score he’d like back, Kahkonen didn’t question his performance last Sunday.
“You look at things you can do better after every game and analyze,” he said, choosing his words carefully. “I don’t want to say I did (cost Laval the game). Overall, put it this way, the adjustment we made as a team for Game 4 was the right one and gave us a better chance. I felt way more comfortable in the net and helped the team win that game.
“Mistakes happen. That’s normal. It’s more about consistency. If you constantly make the same mistakes over and over again, then we start talking about (a player) costing the team. At the end, the most important thing is how you bounce back. You always look ahead. In the playoffs, you just have to win the next game. You should always want to be better, especially in the playoffs.”
Even with the shutout, Kahkonen’s playoff numbers with Laval aren’t staggering — a 3.01 goal-against average and .878 save percentage through four games. But he has been down this road before.
Playing for Charlotte last season, the Checkers had a fifth, and deciding, game against Providence in the first round. Kahkonen faced only eight shots in a 5-2 win.
“The playoffs are the best time of the year for players,” Kahkonen said. “Whether you’re up or down in a series, you have to win the next game. You embrace the opportunity. That’s the most exciting part.”
