Portland Does It Again Hawks Win 6-4 For Third Straight Vs. Chiefs, Moving Within One Game Of Sweeping Once-Feared Spokane

The Spokane Chiefs are within 60 minutes of the unthinkable today, perched on the brink of a four-game sweep at the hands of the sixth and last qualifier for the Western Hockey League West Division quarterfinals.

The Chiefs, the No. 1-ranked team in North America, never led Tuesday night in losing Game Three to the Portland Winter Hawks 6-4 before 5,640 at the Rose Garden.

The Hawks added another chapter to a by-now familiar story. Goaltender Brent Belecki came up with the big saves - 34 this time - and Richard Zednik and Todd Robinson had two-goal nights.

“Zednik scored the goals we needed,” said Portland coach Brent Peterson. “He maybe wasn’t as dominant as he was in the first two games, but he played very well.”

So sixth-seeded Portland leads the top-seeded Chiefs three games to none with Game Four of the best-of-seven series here tonight at 7. The Chiefs can send the series back to Spokane on Friday night with a win.

The Winter Hawks tried to remain humble in the jubilation of their third straight win.

“Belecki has been a brick wall for us,” said Winter Hawks captain Dave Scatchard, who had a pair of assists. “He’s the reason we’re up three-nothing.”

Belecki’s saves percentage in this series climbed to .921. Spokane starter Dave Lemanowicz’ goals-against average ballooned to 5.04 while his saves percentage dropped to .861. Lemanowicz and Miller combined for just 22 stops. Those are discouraging numbers to a team in need of a break.

“The series is far from over,” warned Robinson, who had two assists to go with his two goals. “The bounces are going our way right now. If that stops, we’re in trouble.”

Brad Isbister, one of eight Hawks who scored, added, “We’ve surprised a lot of people, including ourselves. Every game gets tougher. Game Four is going to be a lot hard than the game was tonight.”

It’s hard to imagine it being easier.

The Hawks turned a 1-1 game into a 5-1 rout with three second-period goals, two by Zednik.

Say this for the Chiefs. After Zednik was sent off for high-sticking Sean Gillam with 6:40 left, the Chiefs scored twice within 34 seconds, Jay Bertsch and Jan Hrdina breaking through on Belecki to pull the Chiefs within 6-4 with 3:29 to go.

The Chiefs still had 1:49 left on that power play, but Belecki slammed the door the rest of the way.

Derek Schutz and Dmitri Leonov also scored for the Chiefs, who watched the Winter Hawks chase Lemanowicz at 9:05 of the second period, after Portland had hiked its lead to 3-1 on Brad Symes’ straightaway slap shot from the blue line on the power play.

Aren Miller came on in relief in goal and played until 1:23 of the third period, when Robinson’s second goal put Portland up 5-1.

Leonov answered on the power play at 4:16 of the third, but the Hawks picked up another power-play goal - their fourth of the night - from Matt Davidson at 7:16 of the third.

“This is a chance of a lifetime we’re letting pass by,” said Chiefs coach Mike Babcock, who planned a tough pregame skate today. “We’re letting it pass by because we’re not allowing ourselves to play.”

Robinson put the heat on early with a power-play goal 3 minutes into the game, but the Chiefs’ fourth line - with Jay Bertsch on the right wing with Derek Schutz and Kris Graf - tied it at 1 with 3:02 left in the period.

Winter Hawks 6, Chiefs 4

Spokane 1 0 3 - 4

Portland 1 3 2 - 6

First period - 1, Portland, Robinson 2 (Ference, Zednik), 5:44 (pp). 2, Spokane, Schutz 1 (Bertsch, Shockey), 16:58. Key penalties - Zednik, Por, 1:01; Whitfield, Spo, 5:19; Ference, Por, 6:22; Symes, Por, 8:20; Shockey, Spo, 11:50; Gillam, Spo, 13:15; Forbes, Por, 14:00; Magarrell, Spo, 17:45.

Second period - 3, Portland, Zednik 5 (Robinson, Isbister), 3:01 (pp). 4, Portland, Symes 1 (Forbes, Scatchard), 9:05 (pp). 5, Portland, Zednik 6 (Scatchard, Symes), 13:01. Key penalties - Lane, Spo, 1:37; Magarrell, Spo, 7:25; Magarrell, Spo, 10:09; Zednik, Por, 10:52; Favaro, Spo, 14:21; Strobl, Por, 15:00.

Third period - 6, Portland, Robinson 3 (Forbes), 1:23. 7, Spokane, Leonov 2 (Sinclair, Podollan), 4:16 (pp). 8, Portland, Davidson 2 (Robinson, Ference), 7:16 (pp). 9, Spokane, Bertsch 1 (Leeb), 15:57 (pp). 10, Spokane, Hrdina 1, 16:31 (pp). Key penalties - Scatchard, Por, 1:55; Sinclair, Spo, 6:30; Graf, Spo, 7:47; Strobl, Por, 9:04; Haupt, Por, 9:30; Magarrell, Spo, 12:41; Zednik, Por, high sticking major, game misconduct, 13:20; Leonov, Spo, 19:58.

Power-play opp. - Spokane 3 of 11; Portland 4-12.Saves - Spokane, Lemanowicz 6-5-7-18, Miller x-4-0-4. Portland, Belecki 8-11-15-34.A - 5,640.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: PORTLAND VS. SPOKANE Game 1: Portland 3, Spokane 2 (OT) Game 2: Portland 7, Spokane 4 Game 3: Portland 6, Spokane 4 Today: At Portland, Rose Garden, 7 p.m. Friday: At Spokane, Arena, 7 p.m.* Sunday: At Portland, Coliseum, 6 p.m.* April 3: At Spokane, Arena, 7 p.m.* *-if necessary