Tri-City Takes Down Chiefs Boucher’s Play In Net Leaves Spokane Below .500

The Spokane Chiefs, who opened the season with so much hope and promise, are closer to last than to first today in the Western Hockey League West.

For that they can thank Brian Boucher, the Tri-City Americans goaltender who smothered 49 of Spokane’s 51 shots Friday night in a 4-2 victory over the Chiefs before 8,397 at the Arena.

Dylan Gyori, Peter Sachl, Ken McKay and newly arrived Roman Pylner scored for the Americans, who sent Spokane to its fourth consecutive defeat.

The Chiefs (15-16-2) take on Seattle here tonight with a sub-.500 record for the first time since the spring of ‘95.

With Portland winning 5-2 in Seattle, the Chiefs woke up this morning a distant 13 points out of first and 12 up on the last-place Americans.

Still, there were plenty of signs that the Chiefs are ready to break out of their month-long swoon. They outshot the Ams 51-20, going hard to the net for rebounds that just don’t come when Boucher is on his game.

“We outworked them,” Chiefs coach Mike Babcock said, “so I don’t think it’s back to the drawing board. I think you want to say we did this once, let’s do it again (tonight).”

The Chiefs wasted no time settling old scores. In the first seven seconds, their anger spilled over from Saturday night’s loss at Tri-City. Spokane’s Jay Bertsch and Craig Stahl traded bombs just after the puck dropped. Five seconds later Mike Haley of the Chiefs wrestled down Shawn Legault.

The Chiefs came hard early but paid for their penalties when T-C scored twice on the power-play and added a third goal just a second after another power-play expired to send Spokane to its 11th loss in 15 games.

The Chiefs simply haven’t been good enough lately to take penalties and deal with the opposition’s power play. Penalty killing starts with goaltending and the Chiefs are clearly struggling in net.

Marc Magliarditi was yanked at 5:13 of the second period after McKay’s shot from the bottom of the left circle slipped between his pads. Magliarditi saw seven shots. Three found the back of the net.

Aren Miller, who came on trailing 3-1, slammed the door long enough for Spokane’s John Cirjak to make it a one-goal game four minutes into the third period with a hard wrist shot on the power play.

With 1:40 to go Pylner - acquired this week in a trade with Calgary - finished off a 2-on-1 break with his first goal of the year.

The Ams came in scoring on only 16 percent of their power play chances, a WHL worst, but when Spokane handed them a two-man advantage in the first 90 seconds, they cashed in for a 1-0 lead, with Gyori poking a shot from the point between Magliarditi’s pads.

Give Boucher an early lead and you’re likely to trail all night, which the Chiefs did.

Six minutes into the game Spokane had logged more fights (two) than shots (one) but finally settled into a familiar routine, peppering the Americans with shots only to have Boucher stand up to the challenge.

“Compared to the games I’ve played against them this year, this was my best,” said Boucher, who will start in goal for the U.S. team in the Dec. 26-Jan. 4 World Junior Tournament. “I’ve had these kinds of games in my career here. It was just one of those nights when things go your way.”

What’s the difference in the Chiefs, who raced to an early lead in the West and the club that is struggling to stay out of fifth place now?

“They’re working just as hard,” the goaltender said. “It’s probably just the bounces. This is the highest shot total I’ve had to face this year.”

Ty Jones scored Spokane’s first goal, his second in as many games.

With an assist to go with his goal, Cirjak built his team-leading point total to 44 and moved into a tie for 10th in WHL in scoring.

Americans 4, Chiefs 2

Tri-City 2 1 1 - 4

Spokane 1 0 1 - 2

First period - 1, T-C, Gyori 14 (Ascroft, Komarniski) 2:20 (power play); 2, T-C, Sachl 7 (Pylner, Smith) 12:22; 3, Spo, Jones 7 (Mikhailov, Cirjak) 16:24. Key penalties - Whitfield, Spo, 1:01; Ference, Spo, misconduct, 1:29; Magarrell, Spo, 1:29; Sachl, T- C, 5:41; Pylner, T-C, 8:08; Boschman, Spo, 10:21; Stahl, T-C, 17:55. Second period - 4, T-C, McKay 6 (Ascroft) 5:13 (pp). Key penalties - Boschman, Spo, 4:31; Mikhailov, Spo, 8:42; Haley, Spo, 11:19; Pylner, T-C, 14:23. Third period - 5, Spo, Cirjak 17 (Cardarelli, Hamilton) 3:59 (pp); 6, T-C, Pylner 1 (Komarniski) 18:20. Key penalties - Stahl, T-C, 3:21. Power plays opportunities - Tri-City 2 of 7. Spokane 1 of 5Saves - Boucher, T-C, 15-15-19-49. Magliarditi, Spo, 2-2-x-4. Miller, Spo, x-5-7-12. A - 8,397 , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: TONIGHT The Chiefs face Seattle at the Arena at 7.