Chiefs reach century mark
The fourth line picked up a pair of early goals and backup goalie Mac Engel made that stand up with 23 saves as the Spokane Chiefs ran their winning streak to nine games with a 5-0 decision over Seattle Friday night in the final home game of the Western Hockey League regular season.
It gave the Chiefs 100 points for the fourth time in franchise history and kept them one point behind Portland in the battled for the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs. If the Chiefs win at Tri-City tonight they'll play at Portland on Sunday for the top spot.
Goals by Collin Valcourt and Darren Kramer was enough with Engel notching his fourth shutout.
Stars: 3, Valcourt; 2, Engel; 1, Kramer .
Long box below.
Chiefs 5, Thunderbirds 0
Spokane – Friday
First period
1, Spo, Valcourt 8 (Kramer) 2:31.
2, Spo, Kramer 7 (Mort, Valcourt) 11:14.
3, Spo, Bardaro 21 (Brassart) 17:31.
Penalties –Baldwin, Spo (hooking) 7:31; Bonsor, Sea (interference) 19:57.
Second period
No one.
Penalties – Toomey, Sea (hooking) :37; Aviani, Spo (tripping) 7:24; Button, Sea (delay of game) 10:00; Jacobs, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct, diving) 17:47; Cowen, Spo (goaltender interference) 18:32.
Third period
4, Spo, Marantz 20 (Gal, Baldwin) :55
5, Spo, Gal 22 (Marantz) 18:36, en.
Penalties –
Shots on goal by
Seattle 8-9-6_23
Spokane 16-10-8_34
Goal (shots-saves) — Seattle: Pickard (L, 27-32-3-5) 33-29. Spokane: Engel (W, 13-7-2-1) 23-23.
Power plays (goals-chances) — Seattle 0-5; Spokane 0-7.
Referees — Brett Iverson, Sean Raphael. Linesmen — Jason Michelbook, Clayton Richardson.
Attendance – 9,734.
Scratches – Seattle: Jared Hauf, Mitch Spooner, Branden Troock, Shea Theodore, Erik Fleming. Spokane: Tyler Vanscourt, Cole Hamblin, Malek Kalus, Brady Brassart, Connor Chartier.