Published: November 29, 2009 12:19 am      

City native surrounded by friends for milestone

PITTSBURGH — Johnstown native Chris Stewart is probably the last person who wanted word of his 1,000th game as a professional hockey trainer to become public knowledge.

The likeable, but often low-key Stewart prefers to go about his job of tending to the Pittsburgh Penguins players’ bumps, bruises and other injuries out of the spotlight.

But even Stewart appreciated the irony of No. 1,000 coming with so many of the people who made his somewhat incredible journey to a pair of Stanley Cup championship rings possible.

Pittsburgh’s head equipment manager Dana Heinze, also of Johnstown, works beside Stewart in the Penguins locker room and was on the Pens’ bench during Friday’s 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders at Nassau Coliseum.

On the opposite bench was Islanders assistant coach Scott Allen, the former longtime Johnstown Chiefs head coach who used his contacts to get Stewart an American Hockey League opportunity and then coaxed him to accept the position when Stewart was torn over the decision of having to leave his hometown.

Islanders head coach Scott Gordon is a former Chiefs goaltender and ECHL all-star.

“That really was something that it was my 1,000th game and Scotty Allen was there,” said Stewart prior to the Penguins’ game against the New York Rangers on Saturday night at Mellon Arena. “That made it special, especially with Scotty Allen and Dana Heinze there. I started in the Coast (ECHL) with those guys. My first coach was there for my 1,000th game. He was with me for the ups and downs of the Coast so it was only appropriate.”

Stewart certainly has paid his dues.

After earning his master’s degree at IUP in 1996, he joined the Chiefs in 1996-97. Nick Fotiu was the head coach and Allen an assistant who eventually was promoted to the top spot nearly midway through the following season.

Stewart worked along side of Heinze and current Chiefs equipment manager Mic Midderhoff among others. Allen left Johnstown after the 2001-02 season and was promoted in the Calgary system.

When a job opened with Calgary’s AHL affiliate in Lowell, Allen recommended Stewart. The former Chiefs coach advised Stewart to take the next step.

“At that point, it was a tough call to leave Johnstown and move the whole family away from our family there,” said Stewart, who has a wife, Kim, and two children, Christian and Rylie. “Without the support of my family it wouldn’t have been possible. I thank Scott Allen for the support and the help he gave me in helping me to make that decision. I’m very happy with the choice that I made.”

Who could blame him?

After one season in Lowell during the NHL lockout year, Stewart was promoted to the Carolina Hurricanes and was part of a Stanley Cup championship during his only season with the ’Canes in 2006.

The next year he and Heinze joined the Penguins. Stewart received a high recommendation from veteran forward Mark Recchi, who had finished the previous season on Carolina’s Cup-winning team before rejoining Pittsburgh.

“When the Hurricanes traded for Recchi that year we won the Stanley Cup he said they were making changes (in Pittsburgh),” Stewart explained. “I called Recs and he said he would recommend me to (General Manager) Ray Shero. Fortunately Ray offered me the position.”

The Penguins advanced to the Stanley Cup final in 2008, finishing second to the Red Wings before taking the next step with a seven-game victory over Detroit in the Cup Final in June.

Stewart and Heinze, who also won a Cup with Tampa Bay in 2004, each have two championship rings and both men brought the Stanley Cup back to Johnstown during their respective days with the trophy each time.

“The Cups, that’s something we’ll never be able to explain,” Stewart said. “I guess we were in a lucky position. It was the right time and the right team. What a long journey. I spent 9½ years in the minors, but it was well worth it.”