TALL ORDER

November 13, 2024

Welcome to Wolves Insider, presented by Are You Really Winning?: The weekly report that gives you an inside look at the latest Chicago Wolves news and happenings. Look for a new edition of Wolves Insider each week.

NIKITA PAVLYCHEV REACHES FOR NEW HEIGHTS

When the Wolves enter their dressing room following a game or practice, one player is forced to do something his teammates don’t: Duck his head.

Standing 6-feet-7-inches–without skates–forward Nikita Pavlychev towers over teammates and opponents on and off the ice.

It’s that size that the Yaroslavl, Russia, native uses to his advantage during games.

“Goalies can’t stop the pucks that they can’t see,” Pavlychev, 27, said. “Part of my game is playing physical and getting in front of the goalie’s eyes and finding the opportunities in front of the net.

“The other part is shutting down on the defensive side,” he continued. “Making sure the other team isn’t getting scoring opportunities and we’re taking care of our zone.”

Pavlychev, a seventh-round (197^th overall) selection by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft is in his first season with the Wolves after splitting time with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the ECHL and Ontario Reign of the AHL last season. He previously played for the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears and AHL’s Syracuse Crunch after spending four seasons at Pennsylvania State University.

“I’ve had a couple of years between the East Coast and AHL and I found myself getting more comfortable at this level last year,” Pavlychev said. “I’m really looking forward to building on that and moving forward.”

An injury in the first week of the season kept Pavlychev off the ice but he has seen more action of late. In four games, he hasn’t hit the scoresheet but the center has four shots on goal—three of them in Saturday’s contest against the Admirals in Milwaukee.

“I’m trying to get back in the swing of more dominating play in the offensive zone and playing physical,” Pavylchev said.

Now, about that height. The question begs, has Pavlychev played basketball?

“I started playing hockey at the age of 5 and never looked back,” Pavlychev said. “I didn’t even really try anything else. When I was in youth hockey here in the United States my high school coaches (at Holy Cross in Dunmore, Penn.) were trying to recruit me to play some basketball but that got shut down pretty quick.”

So the basketball skills aren’t there?

“Not at all,” Pavlychev said with a laugh.

HEATING UP

No player on the Wolves has been hotter offensively than Justin Robidas.

Over the last three games, the forward has three points, including both goals–including the game-winner with seven seconds remaining–during the Wolves’ 2-1 victory over the Admirals on Saturday night in Milwaukee. The goals were the first American Hockey League tallies of Robidas’ career.

The 21-year-old from Plano, Texas, followed that with a strong effort in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to the Admirals at Allstate Arena when Robidas had one goal disallowed and a short time later was thwarted on a breakaway attempt.

What’s been the key to the offensive surge?

“Just my confidence,” Robidas said. “I’m trusting myself a little bit more. I’m trying to hold onto the puck and use my speed to create chances. I just have to keep going.

“With my speed, I try to make good plays with the puck and kind of read the play and sometimes it gives me some breaks,” he continued. “I just have to bear down on those.”

A fifth-round selection (147th overall) by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Robidas joined the Wolves after spending last season with the Norfolk Admirals of the ECHL. He looks to continue on a career path to the NHL.

“We’re all here to play in the NHL one day,” said Robidas, whose father, Stephane, played more than 900 games in the NHL from 2000-15. “That’s definitely everyone’s goal and we’re trying to work toward that. Collectively as a team we just have to work together and I’m trying to help the team win.”

 

 

IMPACT PLAY OF THE WEEK

With the game knotted at 1-1 and appearing headed to overtime, center Justin Robidas redirected a long shot from Austin Wagner to give the Wolves a thrilling 2-1 victory over the Admirals on Saturday night in Milwaukee.

 

C.D.E. COLLISION CENTERS’ COLLISION OF THE WEEK

During Sunday’s game at Allstate Arena, Wolves forward Brendan Lemieux crunched the Admirals’ Cal O’Reilly into the boards by the Wolves bench.

 

SAVES OF THE WEEK

Wolves goaltender Yaniv Perets came up big on scoring chances by the Admirals’ Jake Lucchini and Kevin Gravel en route to 18 saves and Perets’ first American Hockey League victory Saturday in Milwaukee.

Weekly rewind (1-1-0-0)

SATURDAY, NOV. 9

Wolves 2, Admirals 1: Justin Robidas scored twice—including the game-winner with seven seconds remaining in the third period—to help the Wolves record their second consecutive victory. Yaniv Perets made 18 saves in goal for the Wolves to snap Milwaukee’s eight-game winning streak.

SUNDAY, NOV. 10

Admirals 2, Wolves 1: Skyler Brind’Amour scored for the Wolves but despite putting a season-high 41 shots on goal, that was all the scoring Chicago could manage as it settled for a split of the weekend home-and-home series against their Central Division rivals.

First Star of the Week

Where we stand

3-5-1-0, fifth in the Central Division.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE