SPOKANE, Wash. — The Chiefs got off to a perfect start this season with a two game sweep at Victoria and were hoping that a return home to the Spokane Arena would help the team continue its' winning ways. Spokane got a chance to rest up after the travel to Vancouver Island as they prepared for just one game this week. After going without starting goaltender Mason Beaupit and leading scoring defenseman Graham Sward in the opening two games at Victoria, the Chiefs got the good news that both players would return to the club in time for their home opener from their NHL camps. Spokane also made a move on the roster as they traded defenseman Logan Cunningham to Red Deer for a draft pick during the week, leaving the club with 23 players on the roster going forward.
The club opened the home season Saturday with a matchup against the Kamloops Blazers, the same club they had met in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs last season. Spokane didn't fare very well against the Blazers in that series, getting swept while being outscored 22-3. The Chiefs managed just one win in 7 meetings with Kamloops last year, picking up their only win in the two teams final regular season meeting in Kamloops in early April. The Blazers had lost their season opener the previous weekend at home in a shutout loss to Portland as Kamloops was without a number of players who were away at NHL camps. The team got several back in time for Saturday's contest, but were still without the reigning player of the year in both the WHL and CHL in Logan Stankoven. Stankoven had dominated Spokane in last year's matchups, so the Chiefs weren't too sorry to see him still playing with the Dallas Stars in their camp.
Mason Beaupit would get his first start in net for Spokane since being drafted in the 4th round of the NHL draft by San Jose. Beaupit had sufffered an injury in the playoff series with the Blazers last spring as Cooper Michaluk had to start the final 2 games of the series. Michaluk had back stopped the Chiefs to both wins in Victoria in relief of Beaupit. The Chiefs had got off to quick starts in Victoria, but that would not be the case in the home opener against the Blazers. Kamloops scored just 2:05 into the game on their first power play as they would take a 1-0 lead. The Blazers would get 3 power play chances in the first, scoring on that first chance as they would dominate play offensively in the opening 20 minutes. Kamloops would add an even strength tally later in the period as they would outshoot Spokane 8-6 in the first on their way to a 2-0 lead.
The Chiefs had a shot at getting back into the game early in the second as they would get 4 minute power play chance, but a miscommunication with the puck between Beaupit and defenseman Graham Sward would lead to a Blazer short handed goal about 3.5 minutes into the period to give Kamloops a 3-0 advantage. Spokane would get 3 power play chances in the frame but failed to score as the Blazers took a 3 goal lead into the final period. The two teams went to a 4 on 4 early in the third and Kamloops would notch their 4th goal of the night to take a commanding 4-0 margin 3:27 into the final stanza.
Spokane would finally get on the board just over 3 minutes later as Grady Lane tipped in a Raegan Wiles shot on the power play to bring the Chiefs within 4-1. Wiles, who was named captain of the team prior to the game, picked up his first assist of the year along with Kooper Gizowski, who scored his team high 5th assist of the season. The Chiefs would put up 18 shots in the third and would break through again with just under 3 minutes remaining when Cade Hayes scored his first of the year from net front to get Spokane within 4-2. Unfortunately for the Chiefs it was as close as they would come as the Blazers ruined Spokane's home opener with the 4-2 victory. The Chiefs outshot the Blazers 35-24 overall but it was a clear case of a game that was too little, too late for Spokane.
The team's slow start will certainly be a good teaching moment for this young club as they head into the third week of the season. The Chiefs are in a 5 game homestand that will continue with 2 games this weekend. Spokane will host the defending league champion Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday before entertaining division rival Portland on Sunday. Portland took over first place in the U.S. Division with a win over Tri City Saturday, so Sunday's contest will be huge for the Chiefs to stay towards the top of the division. I'll have the call on 103.5 FM the Game and 1510 AM KGA with the pre-game show Friday at 6:30 pm and the puck drop at 7:05 pm. Sunday's game with Portland will be a 4:30 pm pre-game and 5:05 pm puck drop. We'll see if the Chiefs can rebound from their first loss of the season and we hope to see you at the rink!
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