Chicago head coach Ryan Warsofsky has a significant decision to make before his Wolves face the Stockton Heat in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals tonight at Allstate Arena.
Who will start in net against the American Hockey League’s third-best regular-season offense?
Incumbent Alex Lyon? Or top prospect Pyotr Kochetkov?
“I don’t know if we’ve decided yet, but Alex has been really good,” Warsofsky said yesterday following practice.
Lyon, of course, has been a fixture in net for the Wolves this postseason, going 6-1 with a 1.87 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage in series wins over Rockford and Milwaukee. He also went 18-7-3 in 33 regular-season games, finishing second in the league with a 2.16 GAA as the Wolves allowed the AHL’s fewest goals per game (2.55).
But then there is Kochetkov, a 22-year-old who might be the parent Carolina Hurricanes’ future in net. After being knocked out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the New York Rangers on Monday, Carolina returned Kochetkov and fellow goaltending prospect Jack LaFontaine to Chicago.
Taken in the second round of the 2019 National Hockey League Draft by the Hurricanes, Kochetkov excelled with the Wolves after joining the team in February from Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League. He went 13-1-1 in 15 AHL appearances with a 2.09 GAA and a .921 save percentage, and was named the AHL Rookie of the Month for March. He also played three regular-season games and four postseason contests with the Hurricanes.
“I think it’s a good thing, right?” Warsofsky said of an ever-growing list of goaltending options that also includes Dylan Wells, Lyon’s back-up in the first two rounds. “We have really good goaltending, and you need good goaltending. You see right now in the National Hockey League that things can change in a blink of an eye.”
While the Wolves have a crowded crease now, they also potentially have a packed schedule ahead of them. The teams could play four games in six nights next week with a long travel day to Stockton included as well.
“We need good goaltending,” Warsofsky continued. “I envision us using both goaltenders, Kochetkov and Lyon.
“We have full confidence in all four of our goaltenders that are here and that can win us hockey games. So we’re just going to take this thing day by day and game by game.”
The Stockton Heat are on a business trip to Chicago, but there has been some time for pleasure as well
After practicing Wednesday, the team took in a Chicago Cubs game Wednesday night at Wrigley Field.
Yesterday it was back to work for the Heat. They did not face Chicago during the regular season, and a portion of head coach Mitch Love’s agenda this week has been about bringing his players up to speed on their latest playoff opponent.
“We’re trying to do some video on them,” rookie forward Jakob Pelletier said following practice yesterday. “I think the first game, we’re going to have to probably [make] some adjustments.”
Pelletier, a 2019 first-round pick by the parent Calgary Flames, will attempt to continue what has already been a very successful first pro season. He earned a spot on the AHL All-Rookie Team after finishing third in rookie scoring with 62 points (27 goals, 35 assists) in 66 games for the Pacific Division champion Heat. He has taken that standard into the postseason with six points (three goals, three assists) in seven appearances.
As Pelletier and his teammates learn more about the Wolves, it has become clear that they face a significant obstacle to representing the Western Conference in the Calder Cup Finals later this month. Of course, so do the Wolves.
“I think we feel good,” Pelletier said. “We know it’s going to be a hard and long series. I think we’re ready for that also, and we just can’t wait to start.
“If we play our type of game, probably like we did for eight months now, I like our chances.”
― Patrick Williams
