Devin Cooley has been a steady presence in net for the Wranglers, starting the last three games and posting a strong 2.33 goals-against average alongside a .920 save percentage.
As the team battles for a playoff spot, every game has weight — but Cooley isn’t letting the pressure affect his approach.
“For me it’s just no emotions, just going and playing," he said. "You can’t let your emotions get too high, you can’t get too much of an adrenaline rush because then you start making stupid plays. So, for me, it’s about looking before I move, because when you do that you realize that you actually have a lot more time than you think.”
It’s a mindset that’s helped him find consistency in key moments. Rather than riding the highs and lows of the game, Cooley focuses on staying in control.
“I play my best when I have no emotions, I’m not having too much fun, I’m not stressed out, it’s just when I’m totally relaxed, totally zen, watching the puck and letting the game come to me,” he explained. “When I start getting too hyped, I start chasing the game, which creates more chaos for myself.”
The 27-year-old netminder has learned to adjust his mental game throughout the season.
Earlier in the year, chasing perfection took its toll.
“In the first half of the year, and then as I started to become more and more of a perfectionist, and expect success every single night, I started to chase the game a little bit more, and become a little bit more stressed, then we started losing and it felt like that pressure kept piling up.”
Now, with the Wranglers trying to hold onto their playoff spot, Cooley is leaning into a more composed approach — and it’s paying off on the scoreboard.
“These (wins) are huge points. There are teams on our tail so it’s nice to get a cushion and hopefully we can continue to build on that.”
Cooley will look to build on that momentum as the Herd enters their final four games of the regular season.
