DUO DOES IT FO G.H. HASHIMOTO, DYKE LEAD HIGHLANDERS TO SEMIS.

Byline: Sean Ceglinsky Staff Writer

Robert Hashimoto can flat out score - the Granada Hills Highlanders left winger leads the high school hockey league at the Valencia Ice Station with 19 goals in 10 games.

But the Notre Dame High of Sherman Oaks senior will be the first to admit he wouldn't be the goal-scoring threat he is without linemate Justin Dyke, who not so coincidentally leads the league with 15 assists.

``We have this chemistry,'' Hashimoto said. ``Sometimes we don't even have to say a word to each other.''

Of course, Dyke is on the same page, or the same ``level'' as he puts it.

``I can make a blind pass and know he's going to be there,'' said Dyke, a junior at Granada Hills High. ``I wouldn't say it's a Kobe-Shaq-type thing, but it's cool. We feed off each other.''

In doing so, they've led the Highlanders (7-3) to six consecutive victories and a second-place regular-season finish heading into their June 1 playoff semifinal against the Valencia Vikings.

The most impressive win during that streak was a 5-4 upset of the defending league-champion Saugus Centurions, previously undefeated in 15 regular-season games.

As one might figure, the tandem played a key role, accounting for 10 points. Dyke had a goal and four assists and Hashimoto added two assists and three goals, the final of which proved to be the game-winner late in the third period.

``Hashimoto skates all over the place; he's just so elusive that you can't put a body on him,'' Centurions coach Wade Williams said. ``And with Dyke, you have to take someone from the offense end of the ice and shadow him the whole game. He's just so smart and savvy and the kid knows it.

``They're the most dangerous duo we've faced.''

Williams is quick to point out that 5-foot-9, 160-pound Dyke in particular is capable of making plays that don't necessarily show up in the scorebook but prove to be just as important in the end result.

For instance: While the Centurions were attempting to mount a comeback late in the third period of the loss, Dyke was able to kill approximately 80 seconds of a three-minute power play by simply conversing with the referees at opportune times. ``He knew exactly what he was doing,'' Williams said, ``and we laughed about it afterwards, but that was the turning point of the game.''

Perhaps the turning point of the Highlanders' season was before it actually started.

Back in April, Hashimoto and Dyke were invited to the Chicago Showcase Tournament, which features more than 40 of the top teams in the United States. They roomed together and played on the same line for Team California, whose roster consisted of the top 20 players from the state.

``We bonded,'' said Hashimoto, a 5-8, 160-pounder who has received recruiting interest from NCAA Division II programs such as Utah St. and Maryland at Baltimore.

Upon their return, Dyke approached Hashimoto about playing for the Highlanders.

With the addition of a legitimate goal scorer, the Highlanders transformed from playoff hopefuls to instant contenders. Hashimoto's agile skating ability and surprising quickness often draws the defense to him, opening the ice for his teammates.

And therein lies the key for the Highlanders, who have one of the league's most-formidable first lines with Hashimoto, Dyke and Peter Artmont - a capable scorer himself with 10 points in 10 games.

Each athlete understands his role and takes pride in it and thus, they complement each other well.

``I'm not a goal scorer, I'm a playmaker,'' said Dyke, a center. ``I'll pass nine times out of 10 to people I know that can finish.''

That finisher, more often than not, is You Know Who.

``Justin always has his head up and has a good hockey sense,'' Hashimoto said, ``If it wasn't for him...''

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Robert Hashimoto, left, and Justin Dyke have helped the Highlanders reach the high school hockey league semifinals at Valencia Ice Station.

Gene Blevins/Specialto the Daily News