St. Croix Spells End For Chiefs Kamloops Strengthens Its Playoff Position By Rallying To Defeat Spokane In Overtime
Like a journeyman heavyweight, the longer the Kamloops Blazers slipped the knockout punch, the longer they hung on the ropes and refused to go down, the more dangerous they became.
Out-shot and out-chanced through 60 minutes Wednesday night, the Blazers saved their best for last - a wrist shot by Chris St. Croix from the high slot in overtime that gave them a 3-2, come-from-behind win over the Spokane Chiefs before 5,817 in the Arena.
By breaking a 10-game losing streak on the road, the Blazers took an important step in the jockeying for the final playoff spot in the Western Hockey League West. They lead the last-place Tri-City Americans by 9 points - to baseball fans four and a half games - with 11 games left.
Behind 2-1, the Blazers rallied to win for only the third time all season when they’ve trailed after two periods.
Although the Chiefs built a commanding 40-27 shot advantage through three periods, it was the Blazers’ 5-3 edge in the extra session that counted, if only because of what it suggests - that Kamloops outworked the Chiefs.
“Tonight we took another step back,” a disappointed Spokane coach Mike Babcock said. “We’ve started over enough. How does a team come into your building and outwork you at this time of the year? There should be no team more desperate than us, because we still need to establish something going in (to the playoffs).”
‘Every indicator,” he added, was that the Chiefs were ready to unload.
“Our work ethic in practice has improved,” Babcock said. “Our commitment to defense has improved. But they out-tried us, and that as an athlete, you should not be able to accept, that someone can come into your house and push you around.”
It was a stinging loss. The Kelowna Rockets, who won their sixth straight on Tuesday night, are only two points - one game - behind the Chiefs in the battle for third heading into Spokane’s Friday night game here with the Prince George Cougars.
Blazer Blair Rota tied Wednesday’s game at 2 early in the third period and Randy Petruk took it from there, dusting off 41 of Spokane’s 43 shots to win the game’s first-star award.
The Chiefs got goals from Kirk Dewaele and John Cirjak.
St. Croix is one of the Blazers’ young lions, a 17-year-old defenseman who scored after veteran Shawn McNeil won a key draw.
“After McNeil won the faceoff, our guys held up (the Chiefs) perfectly,” St. Croix said. “I didn’t have a shot, so I went down the wall and it just seemed to open up for me. I shot and luckily it went in through the 5 hole.”
Spokane led 2-1 after Cirjak rebounded his own shot with the Chiefs on a 5-minute, score-at-will power play in the second period. Cirjak stuck the puck through the pads of Petruk for his 76th point of the year.
Cirjak needs 24 points in his final 13 games to become only the eighth player in Chiefs history to reach or exceed 100 points
Three of Spokane’s last four games have gone OT. The Chiefs are 5-4-4 in their WHL-high 13 OT games.
Kamloops jumped up 1-0 on Steve Shrum’s shot from the top of the right circle on the power play. The shot bounced off defenseman Hugh Hamilton’s stick and over Miller’s glove 2:49 into the game.
The Chiefs evened it on Dewaele’s fourth goal of the year
Blazers 3, Chiefs 2 (OT)
Spokane 1 1 0 0 - 2
Kamloops 1 0 1 1 - 3
First period - 1, Kamloops, Shrum 10 (Manness) 2:49 (power play). 2, Spokane, Dewaele 4 (Schutz) 3:28. Key penalties - Lane, Spo, 2:11; Haley, Spo, 11:41; McNeil, Kam, 14:17; Lane, Spo, 18:35.
Second period - 3, Spokane, Cirjak 30 (Cardarelli, Whitfield) 5:43 (pp). Key penalties - Ainsworth, Kam, 1:29; Skrlac, Kam, instigator, game misconduct; Smyth, Spo, 14:00.
Third period - 4, Kamloops, Rota 10 (Gainey, Hobson) 3:40. Key penalties - Dewaele, Spo, 1:22.
Overtime - 5, Kamloops, St. Croix 11 (McNeil) 3:55.
Power plays opportunities - Kamloops 1 of 5. Spokane 1 of 3.Saves - Kamloops, Petruk 10-12-16-3-41. Spokane, Miller 9-5-11-4-29.A - 5,817
, DataTimes