SPOKANE, Wash. — After dropping 2 of 3 contests in a three in three game weekend, the Chiefs got a chance to regroup and work on their team game as they only had one game to look forward to this week. Unfortunately for Spokane, that one game was going to be their toughest test of the season as the team headed to Seattle to take on the undefeated Thunderbirds. Seattle was the defending Western Conference champions and had jumped out to a 7-0 start, which left them tied for first in the U.S. Division, 8 points ahead of the 3-5 Chiefs. Spokane was coming off having lost 4 of 5 during their opening homestand of the season, but had won 2 of 3 road games entering Saturday's tilt at Seattle.
Last season, the Thunderbirds had dominated the season series, winning 10 of 13 meetings. Spokane had dropped 5 of 6 in Seattle, including the last 4 in a row. The Chiefs were hoping a new season would bring about new results. The team was coming in a bit shorthanded though, as the Chiefs were without captain Raegan Wiles, as well as forwards Tomasso DeLuca and Cam Parr. The Chiefs called up #1 bantam pick Chase Harrington to fill the shortage up front as Harrington made his Western Hockey League debut.
A quick start is huge anytime you're playing a tough team on the road and the Chiefs got off to a good one Saturday. They matched the Thunderbirds toe to toe in the first half of the first period as the two clubs were scoreless. Seattle would break through though as Jared Davidson scored on a rebound past goalie Cooper Michaluk at 11:32 to put the T-Birds up 1-0. The Thunderbirds then struck just 20 seconds later to go up 2-0 at the end of the first period. Spokane didn't shrink from the moment though as they would come out early in the second and take the game back. The Chiefs converted their first power play chance of the frame as Ty Cheveldayoff scored on a rebound of a Berkly Catton shot at 2:44 to bring Spokane within 2-1. Catton would then spring Chase Bertholet on a breakaway and Bertholet would score his 4th of the year at 4:16 to tie the game at 2-2. The Chiefs had Seattle on their heels and would strike again just 52 seconds later as Kooper Gizowski scored from the left wing to give Spokane a 3-2 lead.
The lead didn't last long though, as Seattle's Reid Schaefer scored off a face off at 6:49 to bring the T-Birds back even at 3-3. Schaefer would strike again 3:30 later to put Seattle up 4-3. It would be a lead they would not lose. Seattle took advantage of a Chiefs turnover in their zone late in the second to cap a three goal explosion to go ahead 5-3 at the end of two periods.
Spokane took a delay of game penalty early in the third and it jump started Seattle to a dominant final period. The Thunderbirds scored on the power play to take a commanding 6-3 lead and never looked back. A pair of missed defensive assignments off face offs would lead to two more Seattle goals in the period as the T-Birds scored 6 unanswered goals on their way to an 8-3 victory. Seattle put up 20 shots in the third as they outshot the Chiefs 50-31 in the contest. Each team scored one power play goal, and Spokane's penalty kill, which came into the game at the bottom of the league, turned away 4 of 5 Seattle power plays against the #4 power play unit in the league.
There were some good elements to Spokane's game, particularly in the first half of both the first and second periods. Puck management and taking care of the puck were good at times, preventing Seattle from jumping on the Chiefs for prime scoring chances. The Chiefs limited their penalties early, only giving up one power play in the first two periods. Spokane had things rolling early in the second as they scored all three of their goals in the first 5:08 of the period to take a brief lead. Things broke down in the third for the young club but it's certainly a big learning experience going forward.
Spokane has now lost 3 in a row for the second time this young season, and the road doesn't get any easier this week as the Chiefs will face the B.C. Division-leading Kamloops Blazers in a grueling home and home this weekend. Spokane will head to Kamloops on Friday before returning home to host the Blazers at the Spokane Arena on Saturday. It's a tough turnaround and will be so against a Blazer team that will be expected to make a deep run in the playoffs before hosting the Memorial Cup. I'll have the call on 103.5 FM the Game and 1510 AM KGA with the pre-games shows at 6:30 pm and the puck drops at 7:05 pm on both Friday and Saturday. We'll see if the Chiefs can snap their losing streak and we hope to see you at the rink!
