SPOKANE, Wash — While Thanksgiving was celebrated all over the United States this past week, there were plenty of things to be thankful for. The Chiefs were just glad to be playing a season, as last Thanksgiving, the team, along with the rest of the Western Hockey League, was sitting dormant due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thanksgiving week of 2021 marked a milestone for the team, as it was the first time Spokane was getting to play opponents from North of the 49th parallel, as the Chiefs faced Kelowna in a home and home series and Vancouver at home in a 3 games in 4 nights stretch. Spokane was hoping playing non U.S. Division opponents would help their success on the ice, as the club had dropped 6 in a row over the last month.
Spokane was without leading scorer Luke Toporowski, who was handed a 3 game suspension for a hit to the head in a home game vs. Seattle last week. Toporowski sat out the team's last game at Everett and would be on the sidelines for the home and home with Kelowna. The club was still without forwards Reed Jacobson, Erik Atchison, Grady Lane and Michael Cicek due to injuries, and the team was now without forward Kooper Gizowski and defenseman Sage Weinstein, who were in Ottawa playing in the U-17 Capital City Challenge.
With the shortages in the lineup, particularly up front, Spokane only had 10 forwards suit up for the opening game of the week at home against Kelowna. Spokane was a dismal 0-6-2 at home to start the year and were taking on a Rockets team sitting in second place in the B.C. Division.
The Chiefs had to keep the contest close early, and they not only did that, but would jump out to a 1-0 lead when Bear Hughes went around a couple of Rocket defenders and fired home his 5th goal of the season just over 7 minutes into the game. Spokane would add to the lead in the second period on their only power play of the frame when Hughes found an open Cordel Larson on the left side, who then scored his 2nd of the year to make it 2-0 Chiefs. Kelowna would counter with a goal with 59 seconds left in the second to cut the margin to 2-1 after 40 minutes.
Goalie Mason Beaupit would lead the charge for Spokane in the third as he turned away all 6 Rockets shots to preserve the Chiefs first home win of the season and snap their 6 game losing streak overall with a 2-1 victory. Spokane outshot the Rockets 26-24 overall and won the special teams battle with a 1-4 power play and a perfect 5-5 penalty kill.
Spokane then got to head North to Kelowna as the Chiefs played their first game in Canada since March 7, 2020 when they closed out their Central Division trip in Calgary. The team was pretty excited to head over the border for the first time in nearly two years, and were hoping that would show in Friday's re-match in Kelowna.
The Rockets were unbeaten in regulation in 6 home games this season with their one loss in a shootout. Spokane would be out shot 12-5 in the first period, but would get 3 power play chances to just one for Kelowna.
The Chiefs would capitalize on their second man advantage as Bear Hughes scored his second goal in as many games midway through the first to give Spokane a 1-0 lead after one.
Kelowna would answer back with a goal just over 2.5 minutes into the second period to even the contest at 1-1. The two teams would end the second tied, and would carry the deadlock through the third as the Chiefs put up 17 shots on Rockets goalie Talyn Boyko in the final 20.
Chiefs goalie Mason Beaupit was even sharper, as he ended regulation with 33 saves. The overtime would prove to be the best I've ever seen. Spokane out shot Kelowna 7-5 and both teams put up several grade A chances in the five minute OT. Neither goalie would budge though as the Chiefs headed to a shootout for the first time this season tied at 1-1.
After the goalies yielded just one goal apiece through 65 minutes, the shootout would prove to be all offense. Neither team scored in the first round, but both clubs would find the net in rounds 2 and 3. Sudden death started in round 4 with neither squad scoring, but both would respond with goals in round 5.
The goalies turned aside all shooters in rounds 6 and 7, but in round 8, Boyko denied Spokane while Kelowna was able to score on Beaupit to win the shootout 4-3 and take the contest 2-1. While the ending was disappointing, the Chiefs did take 3 of the 4 points from the Rockets over the home and home and as a result, were able to move into 4th place in the U.S. Division all by themselves.
Now the task became even more difficult as Spokane had to head home from an all night ride to face Vancouver on Saturday at the Spokane Arena.
The Giants had won the first two games of their road trip in Portland and then on Friday in Tri Cities. Spokane did get some good news as leading scorer Luke Toporowski was back in the lineup after serving a 3 game suspension.
The Chiefs would need his energy after their all night journey a few hours earlier. Unfortunately for Spokane, they would have no answers for the Giants top line as Justin Sourdif, Ty Thorpe and Fabian Lysell put up 2 goals in the final 6 minutes of the first period to give Vancouver a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes. Spokane would come out in the second period and narrow the deficit when Graham Sward scored a power play goal 2:20 into the frame to make it 2-1. The Chiefs only put up 5 shots in the third though and would see the Giants score a power play goal of their own in the final 2 minutes to wrap up a 3-1 victory.
Spokane finished the week 1-1-0-1 and are sitting in 4th place in the U.S. Division, 6 points back of third place Portland and 1 point up on 5th place Tri City. The Chiefs will begin a busy week as they will play 4 games in 5 nights beginning with a home game Tuesday night against Victoria.
The team will then travel to first place Everett the following night before taking Thursday off. Spokane will finish the week with back to back home games with Prince George and Seattle on Friday and Saturday. I'll have the call on 103.5 FM the Game and 1510 KGA for the games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
Saturday's Teddy Bear Toss game will be on 94.1 the Bear and 790 KJRB due to Gonzaga basketball. The pre-game shows start at 6:30 pm each night with the puck drops set for 7:05 pm. Here's hoping the Chiefs get some more players healed up and back in the lineup and get a head of steam into the final 3 weeks of the first half of the season. We hope to see you at the rink!
