By Justin Pelletier,Staff Writer

LEWISTON – “Chaput plus Giliati equals work.”

When he first started in about Stefan Chaput and Stefano Giliati, Lewiston Maineiacs coach Clem Jodoin sounded more like a mathematician explaining a convoluted algebraic expression than a hockey coach.

“They both equal work,” continued Jodoin. “They work, they skate, they work. They’re in the other team’s face. Success doesn’t come with talent. Success will come with work, and if you have talent, it’s just another asset you bring.”

In recent weeks, Chaput and Giliati are used to pressure situations. The pair has at least one point between them in every game since the holiday break, and has emerged as the top penalty-kill unit for the Maineiacs, who are tied for the league lead with Gatineau.

“They’re doing a very, very good job on the PK,” said Jodoin. “When you look at a game, you realize how hard these kids are working. This is what we want for everyone. It’s a good role model for the future of this organization.”

Developing chemistry

The fact that Giliati and Chaput play well together should shock no one. They played together in Midget AAA for West Island, and had developed a chemistry – and a friendship – that helps on the ice, too.

“We used to click there like we do now,” said Chaput, “but then he played in Shawinigan (last season). At the beginning of this season, we had to get used to playing together again, but now it’s picking up pretty good.”

Giliati actually played against Lewiston in last year’s playoffs for the Cataractes. Lewiston swept the series, 4-0.

“I didn’t like too many players coming in here,” admitted Giliati. “Getting traded for Bourret was a big weight put on my shoulders, and I had a slow start, but now I hope people are starting to see why I’m here, and I’m having a good time.”

When the two players learned of the trade on draft day last June, the race was on to see who would contact the other first.

“I was at home watching the draft, and I see Giliati get traded,” said Chaput. “I was so happy. I had played with him before and we’d had success. I called him up right away, and he called me and asked how Lewiston was and everything. It was great.”

Jodoin, meanwhile, was quick to ease Giliati’s concern over being traded for the team’s leading scorer from the previous season.

“I told Gili, I said You’re not Alex Bourret,'” said Jodoin. “Be yourself, that’s it. He’s a good kid, he’s good in the locker room, he’s pushing. For me, I would rather have a guy that’s pushing in the right direction than is going his own way.”

Penalty kill prowess

Many spectators first noticed the pair when the Mainiecs skated shorthanded. Their aggressive natures make for perfect penalty-killing unit material.

“I think we’re both patient players with the puck,” said Giliati. “Even on penalty killing, we both know where each other is. We’re both smart players, and we always know where the other team is, too. When we have a couple seconds without pressure, when the other team is a little soft, they’re disappointed we have the puck, they’re usually all standing still, so if we take a second, instead of dumping it, and look where the other one of us is, we can catch them flat-footed.”

Chaput gives more of the credit to Giliati, even though the two feed off of each other.

“We’re both fast skaters and on the P.K., we like to be aggressive,” said Chaput. “We go after other teams a bit aggressive, and they come with the puck and they give us breaks of 2-on-1s. (Giliati is) a fast skater, he likes to shoot and he’s a good sniper. We both know what to look for and what to do if there’s a turnover at the point.”

Working hard

Despite Chaput and Giliati’s penchant for penalty killing, the pair has also started to shoulder some of the even-strength goal-scoring burden.

“At the beginning of the season, what we were doing, we were just relying on the power play and on (Marc-Andre) Cliche and (Mathieu) Aubin,” said Jodoin. “Now we have somebody else that score, that can go to the net, that can generate something on the ice.”

The difference? Hard work.

“I think at the beginning of the season, we weren’t working as hard as we are now,” said Chaput. “I don’t know, it just clicked. We have to keep working hard. We think about our points, but it’s always team first, and if we keep working hard, the puck will go in. We just have to have it in our heads to work hard.”