Joonas Korpisalo didn’t have a dream start to his NHL career.
The 21-year-old won just one of his first six games while allowing 20 goals in the process.
Just a few weeks ago, head coach John Tortorella said he wasn’t sure if Korpisalo and Anton Forsberg were ready to be in the NHL.
Tortorella made those comments on Jan. 12, and since then, Korpisalo’s play has improved significantly.
The 21-year-old’s made six starts post-Jan. 12 and he’s gone 4-1-1 since then. He’s allowed two goals or less in each one of those games.
“He just looks poised back there, confident, like the game is coming to him,” forward Brandon Dubinsky said, per the Dispatch.
Associate coach Craig Hartsburg added: “He’s been great. He’s calm. I don’t know anything technical about being a goaltender, but his demeanor in the net gives the rest of the team a lot of confidence.”
Korpisalo and the Jackets are coming off a pair of 5-2 wins over the Montreal Canadiens on Monday and Tuesday in which the rookie stopped 60 of 64 shots.
The rookie will likely be heading to the minors once injured goalie Sergei Bobrovsky returns, but the Jackets have to be thrilled with his recent run.