SPOKANE, Wash. — February has been a rough month for the Chiefs as they had gone a dismal 2-7-1, been outscored 52-18 and seen their head coach let go. In the process, Spokane has fallen to last in the U.S. Division and the Western Conference after the club lost all 4 games last week. The team did pick up a point with an overtime loss at Tri City, but the team fell two points back of Tri and Victoria for the final playoff spot in the West. The schedule doesn't bode well for Spokane either, as the Chiefs will have just 5 home games left in their final 20 games of the regular season over the months of March and April. After starting the season well on the road, Spokane has struggled mightily over the last 3 months of the season. The Chiefs were 3-3-0-1 on the road on December 1st. Since then? Just 2-10-1-1. It doesn't look good for the team when 4 of their 5 road wins have been at Tri City and they have just one game left there this season.
The Chiefs were coming off a 9-1 drubbing at Portland last Sunday as the club dropped all 3 games of a 3 in 3 weekend on the road at Seattle, Tri City and Portland. Spokane returned home to the Spokane Arena this past weekend after getting a chance to rest up and regroup after a long previous week. The Chiefs had an opportunity to get some payback on both Seattle and Tri City as they hosted them Friday and Saturday night and at the same time get themselves back in the playoff conversation. With the team just 2 points out of a playoff berth, a clean sweep and a 4 point weekend would lift Spokane right back into the playoff picture. First up were the Thunderbirds, who had dominated Spokane in the season series this year. Seattle had won 9 of 11 meetings, including the last 5 matchups by a combined 31-5. Ouch. The last meeting in Seattle was a tight one though, as Spokane fell 3-1 as Seattle scored 2 second period goals to snap a 1-1 tie.
Spokane had goalie Cooper Mikaluk in net that night, but he was returned to his club in Canada after starting goalie Mason Beaupit returned from the injured list. The Chiefs were still without forward Yannick Proske and had suffered another forward injury when Erik Atchison was hurt the previous weekend and was out on a week to week basis. Spokane had started quickly in their last meeting with Seattle and were hoping to do the same in Friday's tilt. The Chiefs didn't get on the board in the first period, but neither did Seattle as Beaupit turned aside all 13 Thunderbird shots in the opening frame to keep it a 0-0 game heading to the second. In the second, Seattle would get out to a 1-0 lead just 5:05 into the period. The Chiefs would answer on the power play as Raegan Wiles scored his 6th of the year at 11:54 to even the game at 1-1. Seattle would come right back on their first power play of the game less than 2 minutes later to re-take the lead at 2-1, which they would carry into the third.
Spokane would come out in the third and even the game on a Chase Bertholet goal at 8:26 off a Bear Hughes face off win to make it a 2-2 game. The goal would spark Spokane's best period against Seattle in 12 games this season. Hughes would get the go ahead goal at 14:04 to give the Chiefs a lead they would never lose at 3-2. Carter Streek would give Spokane a huge insurance goal with his 7th of the year at 16:29 to put the Chiefs up 4-2. Hughes would then wrap up a 4 goal period with his second of the frame and 16th goal of the season with a short handed empty net tally at 18:53 to put the game away for the Chiefs. Seattle would get a power play goal in the waning seconds, but Spokane secured their 3rd win over the Thunderbirds this season with a 5-3 victory. The win was the Chiefs first over Seattle since December 28th and was Spokane's third win in the series in 12 meetings this season.
It was a huge victory from a confidence standpoint and also in the standings for the Chiefs because Tri City also won on Friday with an overtime win over Everett. Spokane remained two points back of the Americans as the Chiefs had a chance to pull even with a win in regulation on Saturday at the Arena. The Chiefs had won 6 of 9 from Tri City this season, but the two clubs had split the last 4 meetings, with three of them decided by one goal; including the last meeting the week before in Kennewick that saw the Americans win in overtime. Saturday's game saw two teams coming off big wins at home over two of the top teams in the West in Everett and Seattle, so the Chiefs would either pull even with the Americans with a regulation win or fall 4 points back in the standings with just 18 games left in the season.
Spokane would get the quick start they needed Saturday when Raegan Wiles scored the first goal of the game for the second straight night with his 7th of the season just 4:05 into the game to give the Chiefs a 1-0 lead after the first period. The Chiefs killed off two Tri City power plays in the first as goalie Mason Beaupit turned aside all 11 Americans shots in the frame. Spokane extended the lead only 33 seconds into the second period when Bear Hughes scored his 3rd goal in 2 nights to make it 2-0 Chiefs. Tri City would cut the margin in half on a power play goal with 5 minutes left in the period, but Spokane would counter with a Chase Bertholet power play tally with just 52 seconds remaining in the period to take a 3-1 lead into the third.
Bertholet's goal would give the Chiefs a ton of momentum heading into the final 20 minutes. Spokane would jump on the Americans early and often in the final period. Ty Cheveldayoff got things started with his 3rd of the year 1:12 into the period to give the Chiefs a 4-1 lead. Nick McCarry would score a power play goal just 20 seconds later to give Spokane control of the game at 5-1. Kooper Gizowski scored his third of the season against Tri City at 7:28 to put the game away at 6-1 and then Hughes would get his second of the night and 4th in 2 games 2:08 later to cap the scoring and wrap up a dominant 7-1 victory over their chief rival. Beaupit finished with 27 saves in net for his second straight victory and Hughes led the way with his 2 goals and an assist offensively.
The win was the Chiefs 7th in 10 games with Tri City this season and put Spokane into a three way tie with Tri and Victoria for the 8th and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. With 18 games left in the regular season, the team is facing a challenging schedule as Spokane has 13 of those 18 on the road away from the Spokane Arena. Spokane has struggled big time on the road, going a woeful 5-13-2-1, with 4 of their 5 wins at Tri City. The Chiefs are in the thick of the playoff race though and they will get a chance to prove their worth when they head out on a 3 game road swing through the B.C. Division this week with games at division leading Kamloops and third place Prince George. I'll have the call on 103.5 FM the Game and 1510 AM KGA for the games on Wednesday in Kamloops and Friday and Saturday in Prince George. Pre-game shows will start at 6:30 pm with the puck drops at 7:05 pm. Just 7 weeks are left in the season and the time is now for Spokane to step up and be counted in the playoff race. We hope to see you on the radio!