Kotchorek has put together a strong season for the Battlefords North Stars. He took over as the BNS starting goaltender, and, when Ryan Rewerts was sidelined due to injury, he showed that he could compete and steal games like a first tier goaltender should. Now that Rewerts is back, the goaltending competition is a great problem to have for Kevin Hasselberg and his players.
“I’m really happy with my game so far into the season, I did not expect to get this many games in by Christmas. I’ve been super happy with how I’ve played in those games minus a couple. The team plays excellent in front of me. It really helps me out when they play such good defence which then transitions into offence,” Kotchorek said. “The competition is really fun, especially with a guy like Rewerts who never stops battling and competing. Ryan and I are great friends on and off the ice and there’s no one i’d rather look up to while being a rookie in this league. He’s really helped me out a lot with this being my first seasons and I'm looking forward to how the rest of the season pans out.”
The 1997 born goaltender had a great December, winning three of six games started, two of them coming by the way of back-to-back shutouts and sporting a 1.84 GAA. The first goose egg came at the hands of the Humboldt Broncos, where Kotchorek stopped all 25 shots that came his way at the Civic Centre. The next day, the North Stars travelled to Pinehouse for a neutral site game against the La Ronge Ice Wolves where Kotchorek was at his best once again. In what was a strong defensive game issued by both teams, number one stood strong in net, out-dueling workhorse Kris Joyce, kicking away all 24 shots the Ice Wolves threw at him.
In net, Kotchorek has a team-first mentality and tries not to dwell on personal numbers. “I focus more on our team and getting the win and I let that go through my head and repeat it to myself that we need the win. It does cross my mind of course but I don’t let it affect my game.”
The Stars netminder also made his mark on the Estevan Bruins Dec 20th, making 27 saves in a 5-3 victory.
The award is his second “Rookie of the Month” acknowledgement while he has also won “Goalie of the Week.” Overall, Kotchorek sports a 12-3-1 record, while hosting a 1.91 GAA and a .925 save percentage.
