Some rinks just feel right.

Portland Pirates forward Felix Schutz has seen — and played in — his fair share of hockey rinks during his young career. The German-born sniper has played a regular-season game in no fewer than 33 rinks across the United States and Canada in just the last three years. That’s not even counting international competition, preseason or playoff matchups, which would make the number swell to well over 50.

Of course, there is a comfort level for Schutz playing in his current home at the Cumberland County Civic Center. But, surprisingly, the scene of one of the rare disappointments in his hockey career still ranks in the “like” category.

“The rink in Lewiston, I like it because it’s a bit smaller, and you can be more physical,” Schutz said. “There are a lot of rinks that guys like, and a lot we don’t. Springfield is an example. I’ve played well in Springfield and I like to go back there. Lewiston, the corners are a bit smaller and you can hit and be physical on the puck. I like that.”

Schutz, who played his junior hockey for Saint John and Val d’Or in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, was on the team from Val d’Or that lost to the Lewiston Maineiacs in the QMJHL final series in 2007. In the two games the Foreurs played in Lewiston in the final, Schutz had one goal and six penalty minutes.

Just getting to that point in his career, let alone to the Pirates and the AHL, was a journey for Schutz.

As a young player in Germany, he played for his country’s Under-18 squad. Scouts from teams across Canada and the United States took notice, and they started to contact his agent about a possible move to North American junior hockey.

“I didn’t know what to say, I was nervous of course,” Schutz said. “I talked it over with my parents and took the chance.”

Schutz landed in Saint John, New Brunswick, with the fledgling Sea Dogs, a year-old expansion franchise and statistically one of the worst teams in the league.

“It was tough, I didn’t know much English at the time, but I had to learn it,” Schutz said. “I had a girlfriend at the time, so of course that helped me learn faster.”

That season, Schutz put up 21 goals and 31 assists in 65 games. The following season, during the holiday trade period, Saint John traded Schutz to Val d’Or. The Foreurs wanted Schutz to add depth to the front line as they made a run at a league championship.

“It felt like I was back in Europe a bit,” Schutz said of his time in Western Quebec. “It was a small town, and you could drive an hour in any direction, and you hit another small town.”

Between seasons in the Q, the Buffalo Sabres drafted Schutz in the fourth round of the NHL entry draft, paving the way for his trip to Portland. That, too, took a bit of a detour, though. Schutz played his 20-year-old season in the German elite league, the DEL.

In his rookie campaign with Portland last year, Schutz had 15 goals and 42 points, setting the bar high as his sophomore season began this fall.

“It’s almost easier to play as a rookie, because you have fewer expectations,” Schutz said. “Your second year gets tougher. You expect more from yourself, and others expect more from you too. In one way, it’s a bit easier because the coach knows you, but you still have to go out there and perform.”

Schutz has five goals and five assists through 19 games this season, and has had to sit with an injury here and there. The team has been hot lately, and Schutz appears to have found a bit of a stride. He has six points in his team’s last five games, including all five of his goals.

“He’s played really well lately,” Pirates coach Kevin Dineen said. “He did the same thing last year when he first got here, he took some time to adjust to the league and to the speed, and when he got going, he turned into a really valuable player for us. He was one of our top players down the stretch.”

This year, Dineen said, the same thing happened, and his awakening is coinciding nicely with the team’s turnaround.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence,” Dineen said. “He’s scoring at a torrid pace right now, even though he’s not seeing any time on the power play, and he’s a key defensive guy for us, taking key faceoffs.”

With a double set of games this weekend against rival Providence, Schutz is hoping his hot hand continues.

“It should be a good game (Friday),” Schutz said. “It’s in Lewiston, so it’s not really a home game for either team, and we like to play against Providence, with the intensity. It should be a good game.”