Pavelec's family checks out his first NHL game -- at 2:30 a.m.
Ondrej Pavelec's mother, father and sister surrounded the family computer at 2:30 a.m. in the Czech Republic to watch him start his first NHL game in net.
It was a moment the 20-year-old Pavelec had dreamed about since he began watching as a child Martin Brodeur play goalie, but for his family back home it was an even bigger deal.
"They were more excited than me," said Pavelec, who is considered the Atlanta Thrashers' top prospect. "My mom was probably more nervous than me. She was almost crying."
His mother, Marcela, also didn't get much sleep that night. The game ended at 4 a.m., she took an hour nap and was up at 5 a.m. to go to work as a nurse.
"It was crazy," Pavelec said.
Pavelec at least did give his family something to cheer about in their early hours. Although it wasn't the sort of performance he had imagined in his first start, Pavelec was rewarded with a win as the Thrashers pulled out a 6-4 victory behind his 30 saves on Nov. 3.
Before being reassigned to the Chicago Wolves on Dec. 1 as Kari Lehtonen returned to Atlanta from his rehab stint, Pavelec started four more games for the Thrashers. All together, he played in seven games, went 3-3, stopped a career-high 36 saves in a 4-1 win over Florida and had a 3.11 goals-against average.
It has been a whirlwind for Pavelec so far in his short professional career. He started his first pro game for the Wolves on Oct. 6, made one more AHL appearance and then found himself already in the NHL.
"Hockey can be like that," said Wolves general manager Kevin Cheveldayoff. "That's why you preach to your guys you never know what can happen. He's experienced a lot in his first year."
It was no surprise to Pavelec that he ended up back in Chicago when Lehtonen was ready to play again.
"I knew that they would send me down," Pavelec said. "I will play more games here. I know I have to play great if I want to play in Atlanta. I wasn't disappointed at all."
Brathwaite leaves team: The Wolves' goalie situation changed a lot in one week.
Within seven days, they said goodbye to Kari Lehtonen as he returned to the Atlanta Thrashers, welcomed back Ondrej Pavelec from the NHL, and then discovered that Fred Brathwaite had decided to leave the team to play in Russia.
Brathwaite, who split time last year and started 13 games this season, was expected to backup Pavelec. Brathwaite was 10-2 with a 2.50 goals-against average this season.
Officially, Brathwaite was suspended by the Thrashes for not making the trip with the Wolves to Rochester for Friday's game.
"He will be suspended by the team for a failure to report," Wolves GM Kevin Cheveldayoff said. "My understanding is he's going to Russia."
Brathwaite did not return calls to his cell phone Friday.