Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Seven Reasons For Chiefs’ Turnaround

Two weeks can be an eternity in junior hockey.

Witness the sudden reversals of the Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans.

In two weeks, their fortunes have turned in opposite directions.

The Chiefs, their ranks thinned by injury, lost more in November than the Democrats. December was even worse. The Chiefs went 3-11 in November, 1-10-1 in December and came out of 1994 last in the WHL West.

After losing their first two of the new year, the Chiefs have reeled off a clubrecord eight straight wins, including an unprecedented five in a row on the road.

They’re in Kennewick tonight, looking for No. 9 against the suddenly ugly Americans, who have lost seven straight.

Some of what has happened to the Chiefs, who after two great weeks find themselves bearing down on Tri-City in a race for fourth:

Depth - For the first time, the Chiefs have four healthy forward lines. Only defensemen Jon Shockey, Ryan Berry and Scott Fletcher failed to score a point in the eight-game streak, and the stay-at-home Shockey has been a stabilizing influence.

Goaltending - Jarrod Daniel posted a 2.57 goals-against average and a .915 saves percentage while winning seven games. David Lemanowicz came on in relief in Swift Current to win 1-0 and notch Spokane’s first shutout since March, 1993.

Bryan’s Flyin’- Bryan McCabe came back from the World Junior Tournament better than ever. The Chiefs captain scored six goals with nine assists in nine games since the tournament.

Coaching - It’s nearly two months until playoff time, but credit Mike Babcock for patience through the adversity.

More often than not, Babcock has coaxed an honest night’s work from his inury-depleted team.

Management - General manager Tim Speltz may yet make a move - the trade deadline is Feb. 2 - but he won’t do it out of panic. Speltz emphasized the need to judge this team once all the parts were back on line.

Fan support - Spokane is on its way to a club attendance record in what had been a down year, but big numbers don’t paint the whole picture.

The Spokane crowd - generally knowledgeable and appreciative - doesn’t hesitate to get negative when effort is lacking.

“That’s a plus,” a Tri-City front office hand said. “Our crowd is always nice, which adds to the country-club atmosphere here. They tend to spoil our players.

“If the Chiefs were as brutal at home as we’ve been lately, they’d hear about it from the stands.”

Chiefs owner Bobby Brett emphasizes the supportive aspect of Spokane fans but agrees that “they do appreciate an honest effort.”

Appreciate is one word for it. Demand might be another.

Carrying on in Red Deer

When the Chiefs made their annual trek through Red Deer last week to play the Rebels, Jeff Chynoweth recalled a different brand of Chiefs hockey.

Chynoweth, the Rebels’ marketing director, worked in Spokane in 1986-87, when Bob Strumm (now coach and GM with the Las Vegas club in the IHL) was the Chiefs’ boss.

“We had Mick Vukota (the New York Islanders tough guy) in Spokane that year,” Chynoweth said. “I think we were responsible for the separate warmups rule in the WHL.”

Vukota and the Chiefs were known to go at the opposition in pregame warmups, when both teams came out together.

Wisely, that practice was discontinued.

Officials no longer have to hustle out half-dressed to break up a melee. Visitors have the ice to themselves first, followed by the home club.

Peter Esdale, by the way, was the Chiefs’ coach at that time. He’s now at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, where his top scorer is ex-Chief Mike Jickling.

It’s not all hockey

The Chiefs have sold about half of the memberships that’ll go out next season in what they’re calling the All-Hockey Club.

It’s a private area for season-ticket holders in the northwest corner of the new arena with bar and food service, plus television monitors.

There’s a one-time $300 initiation fee and a $200 annual fee on top of the cost of the season ticket.It won’t be a sit-down restaurant but it will have “a higher level of food service than people are used to,” Jamison said.

In the crease…

McCabe is the subject of a short but sweet gush of praise in this week’s Hockey News. Stan Fischler writes, “If you’re looking for the next combined forwarddefenseman in the Marty McSorley-Ken Baumgartner mold, keep your eye on New York Islanders prospect Bryan McCabe, currently with the Spokane Chiefs of the Western League.” … Hopefuly the city will offer seats in the doomed Coliseum for sale. A number of fans have expressed interest in buying a Coliseum seat, or seats, as commemoratives. Chiefs owner Bobby Brett took 20 seats out of Wrigley Field, when the Chicago Cubs went to new seating. Parts of the 20 went into remaking eight good seats, which Brett says he treasures.