S-R photojournalist Colin Mulvany covered the Chiefs' game against the Portland Winterhawks on Tuesday.  Check out this big picture gallery of his photos.

Nic Petan had one goal and one assist and Mac Carruth stopped 25 shots Tuesday night as the Portland Winterhawks defeated the Spokane Chiefs 3-1 to take a 3-0 series lead in their best-of-seven WHL conference semifinal. Story to come

Blake Gal's goal 4 seconds into a power play Tuesday night allowed the Spokane Chiefs to cut Portland's lead to 2-1 after two periods of Game 3 of the WHL Western Conference semifnals at the Arena. Gal's goal at 16:24 snapped a Chiefs scoreless streak  of 129:01 stretching back to the second period of Game 1 in Portland. Portland had outscored the Chiefs 10-0 during the streak. Gal leads the team with six goals in postseason.

Ty Rattie's 10th goal of the postseason, with 47 seconds left in the first period, gave the Portland Winterhawks a 1-0 lead over the Spokane Chiefs after one period of Game 3 of the WHL Western Conference semifinals at the Arena on Tuesday. Portland outshot the Chiefs 13-12 in the period. The Chiefs will be on a power play for 1:33 when the second period begins. Spokane is scoreless during the last 112 minutes and 37 seconds of the series, stretching back to the second period of Game 2.

The way the Western Hockey League Western Conference playoffs worked out, the Spokane Chiefs ended up on the road for five consecutive postseason games. The Chiefs, who haven't played at the Arena since March 23, are back home tonight for a game that's crucial if they expect to keep advancing in the playoffs. The Chiefs trail the Portland Winterhawks 2-0 in their best-of-seven semifinal, but the next two games will be in front of a less-hostile crowd than Spokane encountered Friday and Saturday nights in Portland. Game 4 is Wednesday. Game time is 15 minutes away.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

There is one thing last night's NCAA championship game taught us. Bad dress rehearsals don't necessarily mean a bad play. Read on.

The Spokane Chiefs didn't fare well in Portland during the first two games of the Western Hockey League Western Conference semifinal. Now the Chiefs have a chance to make it a competitive series while playing Games 3 and 4 at home Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Spokane's top players must rise up after two subpar games. Read story

A GRIP ON SPORTS

As I settled down last evening, I realized something. Every team I was hoping would win yesterday had lost. Not just some of them. All of them. A perfect Saturday, in a Mr. Mxyzptlk sort of way. Read on.

The Spokane Chiefs were outscored 10-2 in the first two games of their WHL conference semifinal at Portland. Saturday night's 3-0 setback at the Rose Garden had some hopeful signs, but the Chiefs know they must win Game 3 Tuesday in Spokane to give themselves a legitimate shot at upsetting the top-seeded Winterhawks. Read story

Mac Carruth stopped 27 shots for his 39th career playoff win Saturday night as the Portland Winterhawks defeated the Spokane Chiefs 3-0 at the Rose Garden to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Hockey League Western Conference semifinal. The series will shift to the Arena for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Story to come

The Portland Winterhawks extended their lead over the Spokane Chiefs to 2-0 on Nicolas Petan's rebound goal 1:05 into the second period of their WHL Western Conference semifinal at the Rose Garden on Saturday. Portland outshot the Chiefs 13-7 in the period. The Winterhawks are 0 for 2 on the power play while the Chiefs haven't had a man advantage.

Chase De Leo took a beautiful feed from Taylor Leier and scored 13 minutes, 17 seconds into the game Saturday night to give the Portland Winterhawks a 1-0 lead over the Spokane Chiefs after the first period of Game 2 of their WHL Western Conference semifinal at the Rose Garden. Shots were even at 8 midway through the period, but the Winterhawks outshot the Chiefs 20-11 for the period. Portland won Friday's opener 7-2.

The Spokane Chiefs played dead-even with the Portland Winterhawks for 35 minutes during Friday night's opener of the Western Hockey League Western Conference semifinals in the Rose City. The game slipped away from the Chiefs in the final 25 minutes, done in by too many penalties, weariness from killing off power plays and Ty Rattie's natural hat trick in the third period. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series starts in 20 minutes at the Rose Garden. A split would energize the Chiefs headed in to home games Tuesday and Wednesday.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

It is the weekend. And what a weekend it will be. If sports are your thing – and, if you are reading this, I'm guessing it is – then in front of the TV is the place for you, at least today. There is Mariners baseball, with Felix Hernandez on the mound, in the morning and the NCAA semifinals in the afternoon, with two compelling story lines leading into the games. If sports aren't your thing, well, there is always “Jurassic Park 3D” at the movie theater. Hey, everyone likes to re-live their childhood once in a while. Read on.

Shots on goal favored the Spokane Chiefs in Game 1 of their WHL Western Conference semifinal with Portland on Friday night at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Chiefs were also tough on the penalty kill. The Chiefs were also tied with the Winterhawks late in the second period. But the final 25 minutes were all Portland, and now the Chiefs must dust themselves off for Game 2 Saturday at the Rose Garden. Read story

Oliver Bjorkstrand scored twice in the second period to lift the Portland Winterhawks to a 4-2 lead over the Spokane Chiefs after 40 minutes at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Todd Fiddler scored a shorthanded goal during the period for the Chiefs. Portland has a 29-25 edge in shots but is 0 for 5 on the power play. Many penalties have been called in the testy opener to this WHL Western Conference semifinal series.

Mike Aviani's goal on a 4-on-4 play midway through the first period Friday allowed the Spokane Chiefs to tie the Portland Winterhawks at 1 after 20 minutes of their WHL Western Conference semifinal opener at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Aviani's goal was  his fourth of the postseason. Taylor Leier scored for Portland at 5:46.

The Spokane Chiefs face a tall task in the second round of the Western Hockey League Western Conference playoffs. The Chiefs begin the best-of-seven conference semifinals tonight at Portland's Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Portland had the best record in the WHL and was 7-2 against the Chiefs this season, outscoring Spokane 45-20. The Chiefs haven't defeated Portland since Jan. 23. But Spokane won 10 of its last 12 regular-season games and blitzed Tri-City 4-1 in the first round of postseason. Game time is 30 minutes away.

A GRIP ON SPORTS

It seemed inevitable, even with all the inevitable denials. But after word surfaced earlier this week Pac-12 coordinator of officiating Ed Rush had offered a reward for a technical on Arizona's Sean Miller – joking or not – during the conference tournament, it seemed inevitable Rush would leave. He did Thursday evening. Read on.