JEFF
JAKAITIS
Lake Superior State
So. | G | Rochester, Minn.
Jakaitis's
.933 save percentage in 2003-04 is the 17th best single
season mark in NCAA history in that category.
Key
Statistics: Forget about his 5-10-4 overall record
– Jakaitis was a CCHA All-Rookie honorable mention selection
thanks to a sterling 2.13 goals against average and a .933
save percentage, which ranks 17th among single season save
percentages in NCAA history. Not bad for a kid whose name
wasn’t even listed on the roster on the conference Web
site.
What
He Does: At 5-foot-10, Jakaitis is closer to Darren
Pang than he is to Ryan Miller. He makes himself appear bigger
than he really is, however, frustrating shooters in the process.
Jakaitis is also adept at finding – and stopping –
the puck in traffic, a huge asset for a netminder in a league
such as the CCHA, where goalmouth scrums are the rule rather
than the exception.
The
Bigger Picture: With a 2.13 GAA, Jakaitis gives the
Lakers a chance to win every night. Unfortunately, the team
in front of him ranked dead last in the nation in scoring
offense, averaging a meager two goals per game. His ability
to make clutch saves on prime scoring opportunities is a must
for the goal-starved Lakers and his teammates, secure in the
fact that they’ve got a guy between the pipes that can
erase their mistakes, can feel more comfortable taking risks
in the offensive zone.
Bowling
Green coach Scott Paluch on Jakaitis: “When
your team is trying to become better offensively, you’re
going to give up chances in transition. Knowing you have a
very good goalie lets your [skaters] know they can do what
they have to do to create scoring chances.”
