KAAPO KAHKONEN NAMED CCM/AHL GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH FOR FEBRUARY

Mar 2, 2020

Iowa Wild, in conjunction with the American Hockey League (AHL), announced today Kaapo Kahkonen was named the CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month for February after he posted an 8-1-0 record and led the league in nearly every goaltending category. 

Kahkonen only allowed 11 goals on 267 shots in nine starts in February, going 8-1-0 with a 1.22 goals against average, a .959 save percentage and four shutouts, all of which were the best in the league among qualified goaltenders.

Kahkonen's month started with five consecutive victories, pushing his franchise-long win streak to seven games. The Helsinki, Finland native opened February with a 19-save shutout on Feb. 5 vs. San Antonio and then earned a 36-save, 5-2 victory against Stockton on Feb. 8 and a 2-1 victory vs. San Antonio on Feb. 11, where he made 31 saves on 32 shots. Kahkonen tied his own win streak record with his sixth consecutive victory in a 3-0, 35-save shutout of San Diego on Feb. 14 and then set a new standard on Feb. 19 at Milwaukee in a 3-2 victory. 

Kahkonen's lone loss came in a 4-3 defeat in Texas on Feb. 21, but he followed it up with a 30-save shutout against the Stars the following day. In his final home start of the month, Kahkonen stopped 21 of 23 shots against Chicago in a 5-2 victory on Feb. 25, setting the Wild's franchise record for single-season wins by a netminder with his 24th victory of the year and then he closed February with his fourth shutout of the month, making 35 saves in a 2-0 victory at Stockton on Feb. 29. 

A fourth-round pick by Minnesota in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Kahkonen has a 25-6-2 record with a 2.08 goals against average, .927 save percentage and seven shutouts. He ranks first in the league in shutouts and wins and fourth in goals against average and save percentage. 

Kahkonen is the second Wild player this season to earn a monthly AHL award (other: Gerry Mayhew, CCM/AHL Player of the Month - January) and becomes the first repeat monthly award winner in team history, previously being named the CCM/AHL Goaltender of the Month for November 2018. Kahkonen will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming home game in recognition of his achievement. 

The Iowa Wild 2019-20 regular season is presented by MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center and runs from October through April. For more information, please contact the Wild office by calling 515-564-8700 or by visiting www.iowawild.com.