Chiefs stand tough to beat Chilliwack
It wouldn't qualify as a good hockey game but the Spokane Chiefs didn't back down from the physical and chippy play Chilliwack Bruins, who were in their face all night.
But after battling even in a 2-2 first period with goals from Steve Kuhn and Brenden Kichton and holding steady to take a 4-3 lead after two on goals by Darren Kramer and Matt Marantz, the Chiefs took control in the third period for a 5-3 win, the last goal coming on on Tyler Johnson's career-high and league-leading 37th that tied him for the scoring lead in the Western Hockey League with 82 points.
Mac Engel made 20 saves for his second win in a row.
3 stars: 3, Marantz, 2, Krame 1, Kuhn. long box below
Chiefs 5, Bruins 3 Spokane – Friday First period 1, Spo, Kuhn 14 (Bardaro, Vandine), 6:09, pp. 2, Chil, Crooks 11 (Sundher) 11:40, sh. 3, Spo, Kichton 13 (Johnson, Uher) 15:29, pp. 4, Chil, Forsyth 7 (Traber, Gore) 17:17. Penalties – Gogol, Chil (elbowing) 5:50; Manning, Chil (10-minute misconduct), Stahl, Chil (roughing, unsportsmanlike conduct, served by Hodges), Gal, Spo (roughing) 10:04; Gogol, Chil (fighting major), Kramer, Spo (fighting major) 12:06; Cratsenberg, Chil (cross checking, roughing) 12:41; Chilliwack bench (served by Hodges) 13:16; Koper, Spo (roughing) 20:00. Second period 5, Chil, Soudek 15 (Topping, Sundher) :36, pp. 6, Spo, Kramer 5 (Mort) 5:32. 7, Spo, Marantz 15 (Kuhn, Cowen) 7:00. Penalties – Crooks, Chil (delay of game), Brassart, Spo (delay of game) :36; Cratsenberg, Chil (fighting major), Brassart, Spo (fight major, charging, served by Bardaro) 2:44; Aviani, Spo (interference) 8:50; Cratsenberg, Chil (unsportsmanlike conduct), Hodges, Chil (roughing), Stahl, Chil (roughing), Johnson, Spo (roughing), Koper, Spo (roughing) 14:01; Magee, Chil (unsportsmanlike conduct), Mort, Spo (unsportsmanlike conduct0 19:23. Third period 8, Spo, Johnson 37 (Kuhn, Engel) 9:13. Penalties – Manning, Chil (hooking) :16; Johnson, Spo (cross checking) 7:07; Gogol, Chil (boarding) 10:11. Shots on goal by Chilliwack 7-8-8_23 Spokane 13-19-11_43 Goal (shots-saves) — Chilliwack: Gore (L, 19-16-2-2) 43-38. Spokane: Engle (W, 2-4-2-1) 23-20. Power plays (goals-chances) — Chilliwack 1-4; Spokane 2-7. Referees — Jason Nissen. Linesmen — Brian Fortin, Jason Michebook. Attendance – 7,521 Scratches – Chilliwack: Zach Habscheid, Jeff Einhorn, Brendan Persley, Steve Oursov, Jesse Pauls. Spokane: James Reid (hip, day-to-day), Cole Hamblin, Mitch Holmberg, Reid Gow, Kenton Miller (concussion, day-to-day).