MARINA DEL REY, CA – California-born Hat Tricks forward Peter Lychnikoff has been getting back to his roots and enjoying his break from the NAHL in a sunny California beach town.
“When I first got back I took some time off from hockey, but immediately got back into the gym with my trainers and coaches I had growing up,” said Lychnikoff of his time home.
“I have spent a ton of time with my mom and dad, seen some friends, and now I am just getting ready for when we all go back to Danbury.”
When speaking about his youth hockey experience in California, Lychnikoff continuously mentioned the coaching he had growing up.
“I think the coaching I had in youth really drove me and developed me into the player I am now. I spent a ton of time working with TR Goodman, Craig Johnson, Scott Niedermayer, and Alex Kim and I would not be in this position today without them.”
Lychnikoff came over to Danbury mid-year, making his Hat Tricks debut on the 22nd of October, putting up a goal and an assist in his first game. It was not the first taste of the NAHL for Lychnikoff however, as he skated in sixteen games for the New Mexico Ice Wolves last season.
“I definitely enjoyed my time in Albuquerque, and with the Ice Wolves,” mentioned Lychnikoff. “But once I got to Danbury I felt like a perfect fit. I had never spent much time in the Northeast or played hockey out here, and I have loved it so far.”
“It is a much different style of play,” commented Lychnikoff on the difference between the divisions of the NAHL. “I think my personal skillset mixed with the coaching I have received in Danbury, have made this opportunity a great fit for me.”
Lychnikoff has found a home in Danbury’s top three lines, playing with a bunch of guys and getting time on a ton of different special teams units.
Lychnikoff was a part of a flurry of moves Hat Tricks Head Coach Billy McCreary made in the middle of the first half of games.
“He came highly recommended from someone I trust,” said Billy McCreary of his acquisition of Lychnikoff. “When he got here, he was in a depth forward role, but he does all the little things so well that he worked himself into the top six.”
The impact on the team and Lychnikoff individually were felt by both parties.
“Billy (McCreary) and (Matt) Voity have given me a ton of opportunity to grow and develop here in Danbury,” mentioned Lychnikoff, who has tallied 12 points (4G + 8A) in 16 contests with the Hat Tricks this season.
“Billy has helped my confidence tremendously; he has let me play my game and given me the confidence to play the game the way I know I can.”
Looking at the final few months of the season, Lychnikoff has not lost sight of what he wants to accomplish here in Danbury.
“We need to get back on the right track and start winning games,” claimed Lychnikoff. “I want this to be the best four months of hockey I have ever played, but everyone in our locker room knows that team success creates individual success, not the other way around.”
See that goal in action when the Hat Tricks return to action on the 31st of December against the Maine Nordiques.
Catch all the action live on HockeyTV or by following along with the Hat Tricks’ various social media channels.