BY MIKE MASTOVICH
JOHNSTOWN — No one in the Chiefs locker room is boldly proclaiming the team will win the Kelly Cup after back-to-back victories, including Wednesday’s 6-3 win over visiting Reading.
But progress is measured in small, yet significant steps for a team that now is 5-8-3-0 after beginning the season 0-6-1-0.
The Chiefs will be tested again tonight, as the American Conference-leading and defending Kelly Cup-champion South Carolina Stingrays visit at 7:05 p.m.
“The biggest plus about these games has been the guys are now seeing success from playing what we call Chiefs hockey and sticking to our plan,” first-year Chiefs coach Jeff Flanagan said after Wednesday’s win at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. “It’s being real good in the defensive zone. Getting pucks out. Getting pucks deep. Going to the net. Taking shots when we have the opportunity, and just being smart and simple.
“They’re starting to see, ‘Boy, when we do these things, it works.’ We score goals. We win games.”
The Chiefs stormed to an early 2-0 lead on a pair of Mike Bartlett goals on Wednesday, but Reading tied the game in little over a minute midway through the first period.
Flanagan called a timeout.
The coach had taken heat for failing to call time after the Royals had erased a three-goal deficit to tie the game at 4 on Nov. 11 before the Chiefs rebounded to win 6-4.
This time, Flanagan seized the moment.
“We were playing real well and went up 2-0, and then everybody started to get a little loose, maybe thinking it’s pad-the-stats night,” Flanagan said.
“I called a timeout and said there is a direct correlation to following the plan and being successful. When we don’t, that’s what happens, and it’s happened before.”
The Chiefs scored the next three goals and four of the final five. Meanwhile, goaltender Kris Mayotte seemed to be regaining the form that made him an all-star, 20-game winner with the Chiefs last season.
“It’s easy when you see them working for you,” Mayotte said.
“It’s a lot easier to work for them. They take away the real tough options. They’re taking away the back door. It’s fun to have everyone working, and we’re getting wins.”
Mayotte is 3-5-2-0. The Pittsburgh native has started five consecutive games. He’s given up only four goals in the past two wins (the Chiefs beat South Carolina 7-1 on the road on Sunday) after allowing 18 goals in the three previous starts, two of those being losses.
“Kris Mayotte is getting more confidence by the game,” Flanagan said. “He’s made some adjustments in the way that he approaches the game, and it’s working. The guys feed off of that. They know that when we make a mistake, Mayo is going to be there to make a save for us. That’s allowing guys to be a little more focused on doing the right things.”
Bartlett said the players in the Chiefs locker room have made adjustments while going 5-2-2-0 since Nov. 5, gaining 12 of a possible 18 points.
“Obviously, with a new coach, it takes a little adjustment,” said Bartlett, a second-year Chief. “You have to get used to the system. There are new guys, and you have to get used to playing with the new guys. There are injuries. But it’s starting to come together. Slowly, we’re figuring it out.”
Tonight should be a good barometer of the Chiefs’ progress.
The Stingrays concluded an uncharacteristic off week in the six-goal loss to Johnstown on their home ice. South Carolina went 0-4 and was outscored
24-5 last week.
The Rays rebounded with a
3-2 win over Gwinnett on Tuesday and should be primed for Johnstown. South Carolina arrived here on Wednesday
– even before Reading, whose bus was delayed, pushing the starting time back by 30 minutes.
“South Carolina is going to be here and acclimated,” Flanagan said. “They’re a hard-working team. Cail MacLean was a hard-working player. He’s got his team working hard. They were exhausted when they played us on Sunday, and they still never gave up.
“They do the little things well. It’s going to be a really tough game.”
