SPOKANE, Wash. — Twenty games. That is all that is left between the Chiefs heading to the playoffs or seeing their season end. Spokane hasn't missed the post season since the 2016-17 campaign. In fact, in the franchise's previous 37 seasons, the Chiefs have missed the playoffs just 4 times. The club is in serious danger of making it 5 in 38 as Spokane entered this week 14 points behind Kelowna for the final playoff berth in the Western Hockey League's Western Conference. The Chiefs 23 points are also 24 back of the club's all time lowest for a season, the 47 set by the 1998-99 team that became the first to miss the playoffs in club history.
Spokane began the week in the midst of their second longest losing streak of the season, a 7 game stretch that included back to back 3 game losses over consecutive weekends. The Chiefs were spared a bit on the schedule this week as they only had a home an home series slated this weekend. Unfortunately, the team was to face an Everett club that has dominated Spokane over the past two seasons. After dropping 12 of 13 to Everett last season, the Chiefs had fallen in 4 straight to the Silvertips this year, being outscored 29-11 in the process. Everett had blown out Spokane the first three meetings this season, but Spokane had battled in the two clubs last matchup, leading 2-1 after 20 minutes before seeing the Silvertips score 4 unanswered goals on their way to a 5-2 victory in Everett on January 20th.
The home and home series would begin in Spokane on Friday night. The Chiefs have struggled on home ice this season and particularly against the Tips who had hammered Spokane 17-6 in two meetings previously. Spokane was a dismal 5-19-0-1 at the Spokane Arena this season, a big reason the Chiefs are sitting at the back of the pack in the West. Defensively, the team has really struggled this year, although in the previous weekend's games, Spokane gave up just 7 goals over the three contests. Unfortunately, the offense netted just 2 goals in those 3 games, wasting outstanding performances in net from goalies Cooper Michaluk and Dawson Cowan.
The Chiefs began the weekend without forward Carter Streek as well, as he sat out Friday's game on a one game suspension after taking a major penalty for spearing in the previous Sunday's game at Seattle. Cowan was in net for the second straight time at home but the hopes of a second straight shutout were dashed just 2:59 into the game when a defensive breakdown led to an easy walk in for Everett's Ben Hemmerling and the Silvertips had a 1-0 lead after one. Spokane had to kill off 2 Silvertip power plays in the period as Cowan ended the period with 12 saves to keep it a one goal game.
Everett would score early again in the second as a turnover led to an easy chance net front for the Tips leading goal scorer Jackson Berezowski and it was 2-0 Everett just over 4 minutes into the frame. Cowan would keep the Chiefs in the game with a 13 save second as the Tips took a 2 goal lead to the third. Spokane had been shut down offensively through 40 minutes on 24 shots but would finally break through midway through the third. Cade Hayes scored midway through the period for a goal in his second straight game to cut the Silvertips lead to 2-1. Spokane would pull Cowan from goal in the final minute and a half but would fail to get the equalizer as the Chiefs losing streak grew to 8 straight, including losses in all 5 games to Everett this season, with a 2-1 defeat.
For the 4th straight game, Spokane's offense managed just one goal or less. In the 4 losses, Spokane has given up just 9 goals. That's just over 2 a game and most of the time, you'll win those games. When you're averaging less than a goal a game though, it spells out defeat. The Chiefs would welcome back Streek to the lineup Saturday when the two teams headed back to Everett for the back half of the home and home series. Cooper Michaluk was back in goal after two stellar outings the weekend before against Swift Current and Seattle. Spokane would do what every road team must do in Everett to have a chance to win, that is get off to a fast start. The Chiefs would take the early lead as Brayden Crampton scored his 2nd goal of the season just over 7 minutes into the contest to give Spokane a 1-0 lead after the first.
The second period would see Michaluk and the Chiefs penalty kill come up big as Spokane would kill off 3 straight Everett power plays and Michaluk would turn away all 11 shots he faced in the frame to send Spokane to the third up 1-0. Everett would get just one power play in the third, but unfortunately for Spokane, the Silvertips would tie the game with a Jackson Berezowski goal 7:08 in to send the game to overtime at 1-1. Spokane would get a power play chance at the end of the third and would carry 1:40 of the man advantage into the OT, but would only manage 2 shots and come away empty handed. Everett would get a power play of their own over the final 1:34 of overtime, but the Chiefs penalty kill would deny the Tips the game winner as the two teams headed to a shootout.
It was Spokane's second shootout in a week as the Chiefs had lost the previous Saturday at home to Red Deer 1-0. This marked Everett's first shootout of the season. The two clubs went empty in the first round, but Everett would score on an Austin Roest goal in round two to go up 1-0 heading into the final round. For the second straight time, Cade Hayes would get the final shot for Spokane. Against Red Deer, the puck had drifted off his stick with the net wide open to seal a 1-0 Rebels win in the shootout. On this night, Hayes beat Everett goalie Tim Metzger clean, but hit the cross bar on his backhand attempt, and for the 4th straight time this season, the Chiefs lost in a shootout as Everett won for the second straight night by a 2-1 score.
While the Chiefs did gain a point in the standings, the club is losing games in the standings to make a playoff run. Spokane now has just 18 games left to make up a 13 point deficit for the final playoff spot. Kelowna holds the final berth but have just a 1 point lead over Victoria, who is showing the same time of run the Chiefs showed last year in gaining the post season. The team is getting their best goaltending and defense of the season right now, but it is going to waste as a suddenly anemic offense has scored just 4 goals in its' last 5 games. There's no way you're going to win games, let alone make the playoffs performing that way offensively.
The schedule isn't doing the Chiefs any favors either, as the club faces a demanding 4 games in 6 days stretch this week, with 3 of the 4 on the road. The first 3 are in the U.S. Division where Spokane has won just 2 of 23 games this season, both of them at home against Tri City. It's looking bleak folks. Spokane will start the week with their lone home game, as they host Portland on Wednesday night at 7:05 pm. Friday the Chiefs are back in Everett for a 7:05 pm contest before heading to Tri City for a 6:05 pm meeting with the Americans on Saturday. The road trip finishes up with a 2:05 pm matinee meeting in Vancouver against the Giants in the lone non-division game of the week. I'll have the call on 103.5 FM the Game and 1510 Am KGA on Wednesday, Friday and Monday with the pre-game shows a half before puck drop. Saturday's game is on 94.1 FM the Bear due to Gonzaga basketball. It's a make or break week for the Chiefs hopes for the post season and we hope to see you at the rink!
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