Chiefs Update: Closing in
December 9, 2009 by Dylan Kitzan · Leave a Comment
Gary Peterson/Action Sports Images
There were a couple surprises to come out of the last week of Spokane Chiefs Hockey. Rookie Matt Marantz coming to the aid of Chiefs forward and notorious instigator Kyle Beach to act as his enforcer and Spokane still not getting any love from the voters of the Canadian Hockey League’s Top 10 teams, despite being on a wicked tear throughout the WHL rank among the most shocking moments of the past three games.
What isn’t surprising, however, is that the Chiefs managed to continue taking care of business against three struggling Western Conference opponents.
On Friday, Dec. 4, Spokane hosted the last-place Seattle Thunderbirds and did what good teams do: control the game against an inferior opponent. Led by Beach’s two third-period goals, the Chiefs pulled away late to defeat the T’Birds 4-2. Rookie Dominik Uher and veteran Jared Spurgeon eached notched their first goals of the season to back a solid performance by James Reid, the CHL’s Player of the Month, who made 21 stops on 23 shots in the win.
Two nights later, Spokane needed extra time to decide things, but managed to escape with a 5-4 shootout road win over the pesky Portland Winter Hawks. Spokane took 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2 leads in the contest, thanks to two Mitch Wahl goals and a tally by Kenton Miller, but were answered each time by Portland’s Chris Francis, who netted a hat trick to keep his team alive. After the Winter Hawks scored with just under seven minutes remaining, it was Mitch Holmberg who saved the game for Spokane, scoring at 15:11 to send the game to OT. After a scoreless extra five minutes, Wahl and Beach’s shootout markers topped Francis’ to give the Chiefs the two points.
Then on Tuesday, Spokane used a two-goal first period to take an early lead, which was more than enough to help earn a 3-0 victory versus the overmatched Prince George Cougars. Spurgeon and captain Jared Cowen tallied early, while Tyler Johnson scored an insurance goal midway through the third in the win. Backup netminder Michael Tadjdeh recorded his first shutout with the Chiefs, making 25 saves in the contest.
The victories over the last week improved Spokane’s record to an impressive 13-2-1 over their last 16 games and 19-8-2-0 overall, and helped them leapfrog the Everett Silvertips for third place in the U.S. Division. The Chiefs find themselves just one point behind the Winter Hawks for second place, though Spokane has four games in hand on Portland, and two points behind the division-leading Tri-City Americans.
On Friday, the Chiefs travel north of the border to face the Chilliwack Bruins before returning home for Teddy Bear Toss Night on Saturday when Spokane hosts the Swift Current Broncos. Game time for both contests is set for 7 p.m.
