Medicine Hat At Spokane Chiefs

Time: Tonight at 7 in the Arena.

Records: Spokane (21-9-3), Medicine Hat Tigers (11-21-4).

Tickets: $6, $8, $10, $12.

Radio: KGA-AM (1510) 6 p.m. Hockey Tonight with Craig West. Chiefs coach Mike Babcock, 6:20.

Key players: Spokane: D Sean Gillam (6 goals, 24 assists), C Darren Sinclair (14, 23), D Hugh Hamilton (4, 26), C Trent Whitfield (16, 30), RW John Cirjak (16, 14), LW Dmitri Leonov (16, 26), RW Randy Favaro (10, 19), LW Greg Leeb (19, 12), GK David Lemanowicz (2.97 goals-against), RW Jay Bertsch (7, 9), D Adam Magarrell (1, 2).

Medicine Hat: LW Josh Green (5 goals, 4 assists), RW Henry Kuster (17, 27), C Derek Senkow (17, 23), C Mark Polak (14, 22), Trevor Wasyluk (13, 13), D Johnathan Aitken (4, 5), GK Paxton Schafer (4.00 goals-against) or Scott Buhler (3.81).

At a glance: Green is averaging a point a game since his return from shoulder surgery that cost him the season’s first 26 games. Schafer has faced and rejected a ton of rubber in goal. That’s about that for the Hat. Heading into Friday night’s game at Tri-City, Medicine Hat was 2-11-2 in its last 15 games. A big reason is the loss of captain and key D-man Cal Benazic, who sufferd a bruised kidney in the Nov. 28 Red Deer game. The ‘94 fifth-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres is missed. Chiefs, unbeaten in their last eight games, are getting inspired play from Whitfield on the front end. Quick and dangerous on the forecheck, Whitfield at the top of his game is plain fun to watch. Mike Babcock’s club typically shuts the door on opposition opportunity and that starts with aggressive forechecking. Playing with confidence, Lemanowicz has quietly registered the league’s top goals-against average. Blending finesse with toughness, the Chiefs are a load for the Medicine Hats of the world. The interesting challenge comes Sunday night, with Kamloops at Spokane in the Arena. Matching the hottest clubs in junior hockey is a great way to end the first half of the season.

, DataTimes