Three goalie system proves effective for the Wild
By Jon Yaneff

King Wild goaltenders, Chris Stellato, Craig Byford and Kyle Parker.

If trucks are built Ford tough, then maybe goaltenders are built Byford tough.

Starting goaltender for the King Wild, Craig Byford, has been one of the telling factors attributing to the Wild's turn-around this season.

The Wild (19-19-2) started the season 7- 15-1 in its first 23 games, but now have reached the .500 mark with a 12-4-1 stretch in their last 17 contests.

Byford has a 4-1 record in his last five games with a staggering .930 save percentage. Though the Wild rely on the second-year veteran the majority of the time, they support a three-goalie system with backups, Chris Stellato, 17, and Kyle Parker, 16, playing when called upon.

Wild Coach Sheldon Friske said they haven't stayed with one goaltender during the entire streak, so when they've all had the chance to go in they've all played well.

"The younger (netminders) learn from Byford," explained Friske. "It's tough having three goalies, but they understand it's a business and whoever is hot we will play a little more. They have lots to time to get better in practice and in the future the experience will benefit them, then there's no telling how good they will be."

Left: King Wild goaltender Craig Byford talks with forward Anthony Simone during a break in a recent game.

"I try to stay focused during every game, as I see how other players and teams play, then I adjust my game around them," said Stellato, who plays every four or five games as a first-year Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League (GMHL) goaltender. "Craig's a vet, so I look how he plays and how he handles himself on the ice and I use that as a model for myself. I learned how to keep my composure on the ice, clear people in front of the net, while communicating with the defencemen and see how the other players react."

Stellato has compiled a 4-5 record with a 4.67 goals against average (GAA) and one shutout this season.

Byford, 18, said they all work with each other in practice with the coaches and feed off each other. Their better record has been the result.

Right: Backup Wild goaltender Kyle Parker looks on from the King bench.

"We're starting to come together more as a team and going into games we have a solid mindset," he said. "We can still get a little better, but during November's slump we had players showing up 10 minutes before warmup not ready to go. Practices in

November were a joke and they weren't mandatory, but now if you're not at practice you're not playing, so everybody's at practice."

From Oct. 20 to Dec. 1, the Wild had an unsteady record of 2-10 with a 5.17 GAA. In the 17 games after that point the three Wild goalies have posted a 3.35 GAA, so the overall team improvement is evident. Byford posted a 8-2 record with an edgy 3.64 GAA during this stretch, and is 12-12-1 overall with a 4.12 GAA.

Parker, who has only been a part of the Wild brass since being signed Dec. 21, replaced backup Brandon Brown who left the team because of family issues. Brown had posted a 2-2 record with a 2.50 GAA before his departure.

"I like to work my (butt) off in practice and hopefully the coaches like what they see," proclaimed Parker. "Then maybe I can get some more playing time."

Parker's last game was against perennial powerhouse, the fourth-place Innisfil Lakers (25-8-1), where the goalie showed signs of things to come by stopping 47 of 50 Laker shots in a 3-2 overtime loss. In his two starts he is, 1-0-1 with a 2.00 GAA.

Byford also attributed the Wild's improved play to the acquisitions of forwards Steve Wicklum (signed Dec. 27) and Tom Coukos (signed Nov. 2). Wicklum has 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in only 10 games, while Coukos has 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) in the 18 games for which he has suited up.

"They are both fast, explosive players and good offensive threats, which our team desperately needed," said Byford.

Byford credited the turning point of the season to be Dec. 21, the date of the Wild's 8-3 onslaught against the fifth-place Elliot Lake Bobcats (23-12-3). Since they were ahead of the Wild in the standings, it was proof that with a lot of work they could contend with any team in the league.

"I think our run is going to help us into the playoffs, mainly because we are a different team," he said. "But, we got to all continue come together no matter who's in net."

"We're on a roll now, but in the playoffs if we have a bad period it might be a different story, so our coaches keep us composed in the dressing room and ready for the next period, coming out flying," said Parker.

The GMHL has introduced an innovative playoff schedule this year. The new format, which was developed by Wild GM Naz Marchese, will see the top five finishers in the standings choose their first round opponent from the eight remaining teams. This leaves the three remaining teams with a first round bye and with the Wild's late surge, there is possibility they could be one of those teams.

The Wild's last game was a 4-3 win against the third-place Deseronto Storm (25- 12-2) at home Feb. 2, and were rewarded with two weeks off. They will continue to work hard in practice to get ready for their last two regular season contests against the 10th-place Espanola Kings (13-21) at home Saturday at 8:30 p.m and at the leaguetopping Bradford Rattlers (33-2-1) Sunday at 7:30 p.m.