Unsung hero leads Chiefs

No one will accuse J.P. Szaskiewicz of being a prolific scorer.

After all, he has just eight goals in 155 Western Hockey League games over three seasons. He went more than two months without a point earlier this season.

Yet he is the Spokane Chiefs’ ultimate utility player and one whom coach Bill Peters trusts in nearly every situation. When the team was short on defensemen earlier this season, it was Szaskiewicz who took up the slack.

On Wednesday night, the unselfish Szaskiewicz grabbed the spotlight with the go-ahead goal in Spokane’s 3-1 win over the Chilliwack Bruins at the Arena.

His goal came early in the second period of a tie game, when he sprinted through the neutral zone and took a pass at full speed. He split the two defenders and closed in on Bruins goalie Matt Esposito. Szaskiewicz did some nifty stickhandling – briefly losing the puck – before collecting it and putting it low into the near side of the net.

He raised his stick in celebration, then was mobbed by his teammates. It may not be a moment which will ultimately end up on the Chiefs’ highlight reel of the season, but it was a special one nonetheless for Szaskiewicz and the Chiefs.

“It just feels good to be rewarded, finally,” said Szaskiewicz. “Kelner gave me a good pass coming out of the zone, I just kind of got my legs going, and found a way to put it home, I guess. I kind of faked out the goalie – went forehand-backhand and he seemed to buy my move.”

His career-high fifth goal of the season at the 2:16 mark of the second helped the Chiefs to break loose from a stubborn Chilliwack team. The expansion Bruins came out physical from the game’s start and made the Chiefs earn everything.

Esposito was especially strong in net and had allowed only David Rutherford’s goal at the 15:50 mark of the first before Szaskiewicz’s goal.

The first goal wasn’t really Esposito’s fault either, as he was fending off a pair of Chiefs in the crease when Rutherford grabbed the loose puck and skated around the traffic jam to put it backhanded into the open half of the net.

Chilliwack responded by the end of the period, scoring on Josh Aspenlind’s power-play goal at the 18:56 mark of the first.

Then Szaskiewicz’s goal was the only one of the second. Not that the Chiefs didn’t have their chances.

Chilliwack put Spokane on the power play three times in the second period, including a 2-minute 5-on-3 midway through. The Chiefs didn’t convert, however, and were 0 of 6 on the power play through 40 minutes as they struggled to get the insurance goal.

Finally another unsung Chief, Seth Compton, made it happen at the 8:30 mark of the third. Compton kept poking at a puck in the crease until he got it under the pads of Esposito as Spokane took a 3-1 lead to ensure the outcome.

Compton was on the same line as Szaskiewicz and newcomer Curtis Kelner, acquired recently from Calgary.

“That line had lots of energy. I thought they were our best line,” Peters said. “They were physical, they scored twice for us, and they just did a heckuva job for us. You need that, if you want to be successful. You’ve got to have everybody step up at different times. Tonight, it was their turn and they did a great job.”

Kelner assisted on the last two goals and has played up front since the trade, despite being listed as a defenseman with Calgary. Based on his performance, Peters said that’s where he’ll be staying.

“He’s an American kid who doesn’t have a lot of hockey background growing up in Arizona and we don’t want to confuse the issue by swinging him back and forth,” said Peters.

The game was the first of three straight home contests for the Chiefs, who are hoping to gain ground on second-place Tri-City in the U.S. Division standings. They did so on this night, as the Americans fell at Everett.

Spokane improved to 27-20-3-2, 59 points with the win.

Tri-City, which visits Spokane on Saturday, has 63 points.

The Americans play the first-place Silvertips again Friday at Kennewick. Spokane plays host to Calgary on Friday.

Chiefs 3, Bruins 1

First Period—1, Spo, Rutherford 24 (Ryan, Bowman) 15:50; 2, Cwk, Aspenlind 14 (Moller, Santorelli) 18:56 (pp). Second Period—3, Spo, Szaskiewicz 5 (Spurgeon, Kelner) 2:16. Third Period—4, Spo, Compton 8 (Kelner, Haw) 8:30. Power-play Opp.—Chilliwack 1 of 5; Spokane 0 of 6. Saves—Chilliwack, Esposito 28. Spokane, Tokarski 23. A—3,815.