The win concluded the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic, a two-day showcase of future NHL talent, after a round-robin 3-on-3 tournament among the AHL's four divisions was held in front of a sell-out crowd of 10,000.
Twelve first- or second-round NHL Draft picks participated Monday, and 17 players have played in the NHL this season. Wolf and Dostal combined to stop 42 of 49 shots in the tournament.
"It was an absolutely outstanding event," Wolf said. "It's such a blessing to be here."
Wolf, 21, had five saves in the championship game. Selected in the seventh round (No. 214) of the 2019 NHL Draft, he leads the AHL this season in games played (34), wins (26), and shutouts (four). Last season, he helped Stockton, the Flames' former AHL affiliate, reach the Western Conference Final, and was named the league's top goalie. Wolf also was named to the First All-Star Team and All-Rookie Team.
"He's so athletic," Dostal said of Wolf. "He's so fast and he's so composed at the same time. I think we have a mutual respect for each other."
Dostal, 22, is tied for second in the AHL with 33 games played despite missing time while on an extended NHL recall. A third-round pick (No. 85) by the Ducks in the 2018 NHL Draft, he is 10-21-0 with a 3.04 GAA and .910 save percentage for San Diego. He played four consecutive games with the Ducks in which he faced 41 or more shots, including a 46-save performance in a 4-3 win at the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 17.
Dostal also had two assists Monday and missed an empty-net attempt in the championship game. He scored an empty-net goal for San Diego on March 2, 2022.
Wolf and Dostal also executed an on-the-fly goalie switch.
"Dostal] is so technically sound," Wolf said of his counterpart from their Calgary-San Diego battles. "His movements are so precise, and he tracks pucks really well. He's going to have a lot of success in the Ducks organization. I feel there's going to be many more years playing against him."
Veteran playmaking forward
[T.J. Tynan
of Ontario (Los Angeles Kings) represented the Pacific Division and led all players in the tournament Monday with six points (three goals, three assists). Tynan, the AHL MVP the past two seasons, has played two games with the Kings this season. He is second in AHL scoring with 55 points and leads the league with 48 assists in 43 games.
Another veteran forward,
Seth Griffith
of Bakersfield (Oilers) led all players with five goals in the tournament, including the only one in the championship game.
The Atlantic Division advanced to the championship game with a 4-3 shootout win against the North Division that featured an 11-round shootout. Forward
Alex Nylander
of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (Pittsburgh Penguins) had the winning shootout goal.
Held in Quebec and by a Montreal Canadiens affiliate for the first time, the AHL All-Star Classic was originally supposed to be held in Laval in 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event's cancelation in each of the previous two years. San Jose (San Jose Sharks) will host the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic at the brand-new Tech CU Arena.
Earlier Monday, five people were inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame, including former president and CEO Dave Andrews, who held that position for 26 years. Andrews was recognized after he helped build the AHL into the NHL's top developmental league and expanded its base of teams from 16 in 1994 to a 32-team, coast-to-coast setup that enables each NHL team to have its own affiliate.
