Last-To-First A Special Feeling

Kyle Rossiter has gloried in the best and endured some of the worst in the Spokane Chiefs’ 15 seasons.

Friday he shoved them over the top.

The quick turn to a championship delighted the veterans who went through the unremitting discouragement of last season.

“It’s great, especially with the pundits picking us to finish last,” Rossiter said.

Reminded that The Spokesman-Review picked them to rebound and finish third, Rossiter smiled.

“If you’d have picked us first I don’t know if we’d want you as our writer,” he said. “The Hockey News had us last.” I don’t know if I ever expected us to finish first, but we made some key acquisitions early in the year. You’ve got to give it to Speltzie (GM Tim Speltz) and Babs (coach Mike Babcock) for getting (Tyler) MacKay, (Scott) Roles, (Brent) McDonald and (Kurt) Sauer, who was a real diamond in the rough for us. All are huge parts of this.”