Steelhead’s Jake Kupsky focuses on the joy of hockey

Idaho Steelheads goalkeeper Jake Kupsky has remained humble in discussing his early season performance, which can be said to have been the team’s most valuable player.

And it was only talked about on the golf course.

I’m not claiming that yet, Kupsky joked he was the best golfer on the team. I definitely like golf. I’ve been to good places where I got to play a lot of hockey while playing. I’m the most active golfer on the team, say it this way.

According to Kupsky, Idaho’s golf course is stunning, with plenty of mountain courses and the opportunity to play almost year-round. If he continues to play online, then hell has time to get to every state field.

As seen every night exclusively in FloHockey, the 26-year-old has started a hot start for Steelheads, where he leads the ECHL in goals against average and still has a 2.33 GAA and winning record in the first six. season appearances.

Just like on the golf course, Kupsky has remained humble in discussing the keys to his success on the ice as well.

I have to say the systems played out, how the guys play in front of me, he said. It’s been pretty steady sailing for us, they make it pretty easy for us goalkeepers. It’s been really good, we have a lot of hard-working men who trust the system, and when you do, it makes everything smoother.

The beginning of a career as a Kupskys professional has been largely anything but smooth so far. A distinguished Waukesman at the Union College ECAC had split his first two seasons between the A-level Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) and the ECHL. He played for three different teams in the E-Series, including Idaho, before finally finding a home for the Steelheads this year.

Every year I just try to build it better, just keep building, he said. This year, the opportunity to start here and prove what I can do is good for my self-confidence, and in the future I have to stay with the same things that got me here.

Kupsky seems to have finally left the SPHL behind, helping Pensacola Ice Flyers win the championship last year and playing in 32 regular-season matches over the past two years, but is grateful for the time that has helped him prepare to be an athlete. teams ’number one goalkeeper in professional hockey.

He said he spent six months there every year for the previous two years. It was good to get down and gain self-confidence. Then, when I get opportunities here, run with the confidence I have from below. It’s a great program in Pensacola and it will take you to the next level. For me back and forth it was a good way to do it.

Kupsky impressed Steelheads with a short stint in the 2019-20 season and scored 0.935 percent in two starts and contacted Idaho head coach Everett Sheen, who had originally brought him back the following year, but leaving the team due to the COVID-19 virus left him looking for a new job. , which eventually split the year between the South Carolina Stingrays, Greenville Swamp Rabbits and Pensacola.

Now he has returned to Idaho and enjoyed every step of this run.

It’s the biggest thing, we all play hockey because we had fun with it and enjoyed it, Kupsky said. If it comes to a point where it was no longer fun, it’s more work than anything else. The focus is just on enjoying it, enjoying being with friends, enjoying hockey while on the field, and then enjoying life outside of it. That is all very important. But it’s been a lot of fun so far.