HOF Article: Mike Szatkowski Jr.

[OrbitingDeath 3,204]

Mike Szatkowski Jr. - G - Class of S77

Position: Goalie
Birthplace: Canada
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 220 lbs.
Drafted: VHLM - S35 - Ottawa Lynx - 1st round (2nd overall) / VHL - S36 - Riga Reign - GM Selection
Username: @Mike

     
Career Awards
S41 Scotty Campbell Trophy (Most Valuable)
S41 Aidan Shaw Trophy (Top Goalie)
S40 Continental Cup
     

    Some Hall of Fame players do not have to wait long until their name is forever written in the history of the Victory Hockey League, others might grow old before their name is finally called. Mike Szatkowski Jr. certainly belongs to the latter group, it’s been 44 seasons since his retirement, but the day that he joins his father in the Hall of Fame is finally there. The road to the Hall of Fame was long and after his retirement he has seen a lot of players being inducted. Now it’s his time, so it’s time to have a look at how he got there.
     
    S35 - Ottawa Lynx (VHLM)

Regular Season Statistics
Record: 60-8-4  - Save% 90.8 - GAA: 2.16 - Shutouts: 7
Playoffs Statistics
Record: 8-1-0 - Save%: 88.8 - GAA: 2.53 - Shutouts: 0

 

He got selected 2nd overall to the Ottawa Lynx in the VHLM draft and this was the beginning of something great. The Lynx were a team that were ready to compete. They secured four of the top six picks in this draft, so after they selected Mike Szatkowski Jr. They also acquired Robin Gow, Robert Gow III and Conner Low. Add these players to players that they already had like Matt Rielly, Brennan McQueen and VHLM Legend Jeevan Samuelsson and you know you can expect that they won't settle for anything less than a title. So in his debut year in the VHLM, he took the league by storm and posted 60 wins with the Lynx, enough to grab the first seed in the playoffs and give them a bye. The dominance of Ottawa continued and they won the semi finals with four games to one. So in his debut season, he would play the Founder's Cup finals. He managed to secure victories in each of the first four games, the first prize in his career was secured. Now it was time to do the same in the big league.

 

 

S36 - Riga Reign (VHL)

Regular Season Statistics
Record: 14-49-1  - Save% 90.9 - GAA: 3.62- Shutouts: 1

As a GM pick, Mike ended up on the Riga Reign, this was in the era where General Managers could claim a certain player as their own for their franchise, letting these players bypass the draft.  A hard season to start of the career, as the Reign were not yet a competitive team. Being a rookie goaltender is never easy, let alone on a team like this. He did get his first shutout of his career though, something that he would experience more the further he got in his career.
     

S37 - Riga Reign (VHL)

Regular Season Statistics
Record: 40-20-4  - Save% 92.0 - GAA: 2.44 - Shutouts: 3
Playoffs Statistics
Record: 7-4-2 - Save%: 92.8 - GAA: 2.28 - Shutouts: 1    

 

Coming into Mike Szatkowski’s sophomore season the Reign were one of the stronger teams in the league. While the league was dominated by Legion and Dynamo at this point, there was a group of three teams just below them, the Reign was one of these and they managed to finish just above the Vasteras Iron Eagles on a tie-breaker. His personal numbers still could use some improvement, his save percentage was the fifth best that season, his goals against average was seventh best. But despite these numbers, the Reign were looking strong going into the playoffs.  In the playoffs we saw Mike elevate his play, both his save percentage and goals against improved. In the first round the Riga Reign needed six games to get past Vasteras. The true test for them would be the Davos Dynamo, Europe’s first seed. The first game Mike posted a legendary 95.3 save percentage as the Reign stole this game. Mike faced 43 shots in total, while the Reign only fired 25 shots themselves, good enough to get a third star. He repeated this feat in the next game, where Riga once again stole a game from Davos with another 95 save percentage for Mike. It almost felt like Riga were about to pull off something no one expected, but two losses followed. In an overtime thriller, Riga managed to also win game five, but game six and seven fell prey to the Dynamo, ending Mike’s sophomore season after a stellar playoff performance where he almost helped the Reign steal away a conference championship.

 

 

S38 - Riga Reign (VHL)

Regular Season Statistics
Record: 40-18-6  - Save% 91.8 - GAA: 2.06 - Shutouts: 12
Playoffs Statistics
Record: 5-4-1 - Save%: 88.8 - GAA: 2.78 - Shutouts: 0    

 

In his third season for the Riga Reign, Mike grew more confident in his play and it showed on the ice. His goals against average dropped to just above two a game, but he was an excellent piece on Riga defensive strength as he posted 12 shutouts that season. Davos remained the strongest team in the conference, but thanks to his excellent play, Riga got much closer as only three points separated them. Next to that, Riga had gotten the least amount of goals against in the conference. Things were looking promising for the team.

The playoffs that season showed a different story, it all started off nicely with beating the Vasteras Iron Eagles in five games. The conference finals however did not went as Riga hope they would have. During the first game visiting Davos, The Reign were the more dominating party on the ice. They managed to get 1-0 and 2-1 up versus the Dynamo, but a Jarkko Olsen goal early in the third got Davos into overtime. After one overtime period both goaltenders had stand tall and not given up a single thing, but when Felix Zamora scored after almost six minutes in the second overtime period, the chance on upsetting the Dynamo that game seemed gone.

Zamora also got the game winner in game two, again with a 3-2 score and again with the Reign having most shots at net. Szatkowski Jr. his best game this series would be game three. Finally playing on homeground he saved 29 of the 30 shots, good for a 96.7 save percentage. Game four and five however, these are games that he is rather not remembered about. Davos slaughtered Riga, and therefor the hopes for Szatkowski Jr to make his first continental cup final.

 

 

S39 - Riga Reign (VHL)

Regular Season Statistics
Record: 38-20-6  - Save% 91.7 - GAA: 2.14 - Shutouts: 7
Playoffs Statistics
Record: 7-5-2 - Save%: 94.1 - GAA: 1.72 - Shutouts: 3    

Season 39 bookmarked a season where the European Conference seemed a lot stronger then the North American one. The New York Americans cruised to an easy Victory cup, while the European Confference was a three way battle between the Dynamo, Iron Eagles and Reign. This year did not seem a big success for the Reign, but despite the worst numbers of the three, they did manage to qualify for the playoffs. Szatkowski still played a decent season, but compared to the season before, all of his numbers had declined a bit.

How different the playoffs would look for Szatkowski Jr. , after having a bad playoffs the year prior, Szatkowski proved to be the glue to hold the Reign together this year. The series versus the Iron Eagles was a nailbiter. Mike started this series with a shutout in game one, only to lose in overtime in game two. It was a miracle that the Reign had made it to overtime, but with Mike stopping 29 out of 30 shots in regulation, they had the fighting chance. Another shutout followed in game three, while game four once again was lost in overtime. This time Mike was basically Riga’s Miracle Man, during the first overtime period alone he stopped all 16 of the shots, while the Reign only got three themselves. This continued in OT2 with a 9 to 1 shot differential. It wasn’t until Willem Janssen scored in OT3 before Riga had to give up. The series were tied again, but Mike was the reason why Riga almost was able to sweep Vasteras.

With Mike having an offday in game five, the Reign were now looking 3-2 down and Mike took this loss personally. He regained his energy for game six and shut out the Iron Eagles for the third time this series. Fittingly, game seven went into overtime again, the Iron Eagles confident that they would close down overtime the third time in a row. But Niklas Valiq scored his first of the season and with a magnificent 45 saves, Mike saw his Reign advance again!
The next two games, Mike posted excellent numbers versus Davos to, a 97.5 and a 95.8 game followed, giving the Reign a 2-0 lead in the series. Out of the last five games, Davos however managed to win four of them. After perhaps one of Szatkowski’s best playoff series versus Vasteras, the Dynamo once again stopped the Reign’s tracks.

 

S40 - Riga Reign (VHL)

Regular Season Statistics
Record: 39-23-2  - Save% 92.4 - GAA: 2.02 - Shutouts: 11
Playoffs Statistics
Record: 12-4-0 - Save%: 92.3 - GAA: 2.10 - Shutouts: 1    

S40 was the end of the dominance of Davos in Europe, and once again it was a race between three teams. The Cologne Express won the conference title, but in the last two games the Reign managed to get past the Titans, mostly due to a solid game by Mike in a heads up battle which the Reign won 5-2. In order to reach the conference finals, it was that exact Titans team who they had to beat. And things did not go as they had hoped. In the first game Mike got six goals scored against him and also their second home game they lost three to one. Being two games down after two home games, did not bode well for the Reign, but they bounced back in game three and four, while getting that important overtime win in the latter one. Game five the Reign lost again and they were on the brink of elimination. They had to win the last two games. They won game six and in game seven, Szatkowski Jr played out of his mind again, stopping 28 out of 29 shots. Sending his Reign to the conference finals where Cologne waited.

While the Express had the most regular season points, the extra games the Reign played proven to be vital for team chemistry. The team was in a solid rhythm, they won game and two in regulation, game three was won in overtime and to have a chance to play in his first contintental cup finals they just had one more game to win. The team got together for this, they couldn’t let it slide and they put up a 54 shot performance against Cologne, who only shot 12 times back at Mike, he stopped them all. It was his only shutout of the playoffs, but it was the one that send his team to the Continental Cup finals!
In the finals it were the New York Americans who waited for them and game 1 was a real even game, but Szatkowski Jr played the best out of them two, only allowing two goals on 36 shots. Game 2 Mike played even better, stopping 27 out of 28. Luckily his team scored more, with the shorthanded equalizer of Brennan McQueen as highlight reel. The Reign were now up 2-0. Game 3 was another low scoring game, with a 2-1 result. With a save percetnage of 95.5%, Mike’s name was once again shouted from the Riga stands, with a 3-0 lead, what could go wrong?

In game four however, the Reign crowd was silenced as New York fought hard to get back in the series and despite 36 saves, Mike couldn’t stop the Americans from taking this game from them. The series went back to New York for game five. The Americans outshot the Reign in regular playtime 31 to 21, giving up three goals. After regular time, the scoreboard showed three goals each. In overtime, Mike had nothing to do. Nothing at all. The Reign suddenly outplayed AND outshot the Americans 10 to 0, and after 6 minutes, Jarkko Olsen shot in the goal that would crown the Riga Reign as Continental Cup champions. Mike Szatkowski Jr. had done it, he helped his fathers team win the Cup, he was now a continental cup winner himself!

 

S41 - Riga Reign (VHL)

Regular Season Statistics
Record: 41-19-4  - Save% 92.6 - GAA: 1.89 - Shutouts: 13
Playoffs Statistics
Record: 7-5-1 - Save%: 91.7 - GAA: 2.40 - Shutouts: 0    

Coming into the season as a Continental Cup all eyes would be set on Mike Szatkowski Jr and his Riga Reign. Winning that cup boosted his confidence and level of play as this year he won his first personal hardware. And not just the Aiden Shaw for the league’s top goaltender, but his performance this season also got him the Scotty Campbell trophy given out to the league’s most valuable player. Mike had a solid 92.6 save percentage, but next to that he saw his goals against average drop below 2 for the first time in his career, 1.89.  The 13 shutouts was just the cherry on the cake of an already stellar season. The Reign captured the conference title, giving them a walkover for the first round of the playoffs.

The Titans awaited them after they beat Cologne in five games. And for the first five games of the series both teams capitalized on the home advantage, it wasn’t in the overtime thriller in game six that the Reign managed to win this series. And despite Szatkowski Jr. not having the best game, his pass on RIG RW1, was the pre-assist on the series winning goal of Robert Gow III. They had sent the Reign back into the Continental Cup finals again where once again the New York Americans waited for them. The finals didn’t start as Mike had hoped, in game 1 he only faced 17 shots, but let in two of these while his counterpart posted a shutout. He improved again in game two where he helped the Reign reach overtime and took the series back to Riga with one game each. The series continued like this, each time one team would win, the other would tie it again, so it all came down to game seven. Mike had to face 32 shots here, but with less then three minutes to play, the Americans scored the final goal off the series and stopped the chances of Szatkowski Jr to become a back to back champion. It would also become the last game he had played for the Reign.

 

 

S42 - Helsinki Titans (VHL)

Regular Season Statistics
Record: 43-17-4  - Save% 92.2 - GAA: 2.07 - Shutouts: 10
Playoffs Statistics
Record: 3-3-1 - Save%: 90.5 - GAA: 2.23 - Shutouts: 1    

 

The Helsinki Titans wanted to make a push for this season, while Riga felt it was time to rebuild. In exchange for Kimmo Salo and a S43 1st round pick, the Helsinki Titans added Mike Szatkowski Jr. to their roster. The addition certainly paid off as the Helsinki Titans were the least scored on team of Europe that season. Only the New York Americans got one goal against less. The Titans secured an easy victory on their conference this season and Mike’s 10 shutouts definitely contributed to that.
The playoffs didn’t go as the Titans had hoped. Being shutout by the Cologne Express in game one showed that it would not be a walkover as expected. Szatkowski Jr. proved he still had it in game two when he returned the favour, stopping the few shots that the Express fired. And where Cologne hardly shot on Mike during game two, they opened up a barrage of shots in the third period in game three where a total of 23 shots were fired. Here Mike had to give up two of them which resulted in a 3-2 loss. Game four also went to Cologne, so the Titans were down 3-1 in the series. Mike helped the team gain two more wins in overtime, before game seven ended the playoffs too soon.

 

 

S43 - Helsinki Titans / Toronto Legion (VHL)

 

Regular Season Statistics
Record: 43-21-7  - Save% 92.6 - GAA: 1.84 - Shutouts: 11
Playoffs Statistics
Record: 0-3-1 - Save%: 87.5 - GAA: 3.20 - Shutouts: 0

 

 

Mike started the season again for the TItans,  but this  time the Titans werent as competitive anymore. After 10 games into the season, the Toronto Legion had sent Zachary Young to Helsinki in exchange for Mike his services. His numbers for the struggling Helsinki team were rocky at best, but in his games with Toronto, he played the best goaltending of his career. a 92.8 save percentage together with just 1.67 goals against average and 11 shutouts, he had a great ending to his regular season career. The Legion finished second in the North American conference and would have to deal with the Seattle Bears in the playoffs.
Mike Szatkowski Jr. has showed himself an excellent goaltender, but his age was catching up on him. In his final four games of his career he could not make a stand against the Bears, the eventual Continental Cup Champions. After this series, he finally hang up his skates and could enjoy retirement.

 

 

 

    Career Totals

Regular Season Statistics
Record: 298-187-34  - Save% 92.0 - GAA: 2.25 - Shutouts: 68
Playoffs Statistics
Record: 41-28-8 - Save%: 91.9 - GAA: 2.26 - Shutouts: 6

 

When looking at the numbers, you see that Mike Szatkowski Jr. was a real solid goaltender in both the regular season and the playoffs. You could always rely on him and he has been a vital piece in the success the Riga Reign had during his time. While he had to wait a while for his induction he knew that it only was a matter of time. I hope this article was worth the wait Mike. It was nice to be able to delve back into the history and have a deeper look at Szatkowski Jr.’s career.

 

[Mike 708]

Thanks buddy those playoff games were frustrating early on but I was pretty happy how this player turned out.