SPOKANE, Wash. — After starting the season with two straight wins on the road at Victoria in September, the Chiefs have ridden the struggle bus in the month of October, having dropped 6 of 7 contests, to fall into last place in the U.S. Division. Spokane has undergone a pair of 3 game losing streaks in the month; the latest coming after dropping a home game to Tri City and road matchups at Everett and Seattle. The Chiefs were now 3-6 on the season and their 6 points left them 4 points back of 4th place Tri City as Spokane hoped to finish up October on an up note with a home and home series against the B.C. Division leading Kamloops Blazers. Spokane was coming off a 8-3 pasting at the hands of Seattle last weekend, as the Thunderbirds scored 6 unanswered goals on their way to their 8th straight win to start the season. The Chiefs were now 10 points back of the division leading T-Birds and things were not going to get any easier against a Kamloops team that was on top of the B.C. Division entering Friday's game.
The Blazers had won their last 5 against the Chiefs, including a convincing 4 game sweep of Spokane in last year's first round of the playoffs. The two clubs met in Spokane on October first at the Spokane Arena, and the Blazers had started the Chiefs downward trend in the month with a decisive 5-2 victory. Kamloops jumped out to a 5-0 lead and saw the Chiefs score two in the third to narrow the margin. The Blazers were also without their top player, the reigning player of the year in the league, Logan Stankoven. Stankoven was back for Friday's first game of the home and home on the Blazers home ice, where he had dominated Spokane in last April's playoffs.
Friday's start to the home and home series could not have been any worse for Spokane. The Blazers scored just 14 seconds into the game on their first shot on goalie Mason Beaupit from the left wing as Kamloops jumped out to a 1-0 lead. Penalties then became the Chiefs Achilles heel as they would put Kamloops on 4 straight power plays in the first. Unfortunately for Spokane, the Blazers would convert their first three attempts. A perfect pass net front would result in a tap in at 5:59 to put the Blazers up 2-0. Stankoven assisted on that power play goal and then would score on a shot from the left circle at 11:14 to make it 3-0 Kamloops. Stankoven then set up the next tally with a face off win that resulted in a goal from the right blue line at 14:33 to put the Blazers firmly in control at 4-0 after one. Kamloops dominated the period, outshooting Spokane 24-4 in the first as they went 3 for 4 on the power play.
Spokane would bounce back in the second. The Chiefs had to kill off three more Kamloops power plays and were outshot 18-13 in the period, but Beaupit turned away every shot and Spokane would end up scoring the only goal of the period. Graham Sward put a perfect pass to a streaking Jake Gudelj down the right wing, and Gudelj snapped his 3rd goal of the season into the net at 18:32 of the period to bring the Chiefs within 4-1 at the end of two. Despite being outshot 42-17 and down 4-1 through 2 periods, the Chiefs were still in the game if they came out strong in the third and put up an early goal.
That would not turn out to be the case though for Spokane. Once again, penalties doomed the Chiefs as Spokane took the first 4 penalties of the period. Kamloops converted the first one into their 4th power play goal of the night at 3:18 of the third and the Blazers re-assumed control of the game with a 5-1 lead. That margin would stand up as Kamloops outshot Spokane 20-6 in third on their way to a 62-23 advantage for the game. Fortunately for the Chiefs, Beaupit was brilliant in the final 40 minutes as the finished with 57 saves on the night, including 37 on 38 shots over the final 2 periods. Kamloops would go 4 for 11 on the power play while the Chiefs were 0 for 3 on the game. Spokane committed 13 penalties in the contest while Kamloops had 6. It's tough to win when you're on the penalty kill for over 1/3 of the game. The Chiefs were going to have to get a lottt more disciplined when the two teams turned around and met the next night at the Spokane Arena.
The team would make a major trade on Saturday as the Chiefs dealt defenseman Graham Sward to Winnipeg for a defenseman and 4 draft picks. The trade will help the Chiefs load up with future prospects but Sward will be missed as the teams quarterback on the power play and as the top D man on the club in scoring and minutes played. The 19 year old is more than likely in his last year in junior as he'll probably be in the AHL with Nashville next year as a 20, so the Chiefs were able to get a top price for Sward that will help the team reinforce its' future group.
The team had to go forward without one of their alternate captains as they welcomed Kamloops to the Spokane Arena. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, the re-match on Saturday would eerily look much like the game in Kamloops on Friday. The Blazers jumped out to a 1-0 lead just over 2 minutes into the contest after a scramble net front. Kamloops then went on the power play twice midway through the period and converted both chances to go up 3-0. The Blazers then scored in the final minute to score 4 goals in the first period for the second straight game as the Chiefs had to try to overcome a 4 goal deficit after 20 minutes. The second period would not go any better for Spokane as the Blazers scored on their third straight power play chance late in the frame to take a 5-0 lead. Kamloops then added another tally at 16:12 to go ahead 6-0 and spell the end of the evening for starting goalie Mason Beaupit. Cooper Michaluk come in relief and would give up just one goal in the third as Kamloops assumed a commanding 7-0 advantage.
Spokane would finally get on the board midway through the third when Grady Lane scored his second goal of the season on the power play at 10:57 to help the Chiefs avoid the shutout. Spokane would generate 4 power play chances in the third, but would score just that one time as Kamloops secured their seconds straight win over the Chiefs 7-1. The Chiefs have now lost a season high 5 straight games as the team ended the month of October by going just 1-8. Spokane has now fallen into the last place in the both the U.S. Division and the Western Conference behind Tri City and Victoria with just 6 points after 11 games.
The schedule doesn't get any easier for Spokane as the team heads into November with a three games in three nights stretch over the first weekend of the month. The Chiefs will host Prince George on Friday and Saturday before heading to Portland to face the rival Winterhawks on Sunday. The Cougars handed Seattle their first loss of the year last weekend and are second in the B.C. Division, while Portland is just a point back of first place Seattle in the U.S. after splitting a two game set with Kelowna in their last series of games. Spokane is now 6 points back of Tri City for 4th in the division and could fall behind by 10 or more as the Americans will be playing all week on their East Division road trip. I'll have the call on 103.5 FM the Game and 1510 AM KGA for all three contests this weekend. Friday and Saturday's games from the Arena with start with the pre-game shows at 6:30 pm with the puck drops at 7:05 pm. Sunday's game from Portland will be a 4:30 pm pre-game and a 5:05 pm start. Let's hope the Chiefs find a way to snap their losing streak and look to turn around in the month of November. We hope to see you at the rink!
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