Chiefs focus on discipline as special teams struggle

The Spokane Chiefs and their fans have seen this before.

In each of the past five seasons, the team has had losing streaks of at least five games – which is where Spokane finds itself again.

So, the mood around the team this week is predictable: Fans are pointing fingers; players are hanging their heads a little; and coach Bill Peters looks a little sleep-challenged.

Spokane (5-6-2, 12 points) is clinging to third place in the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League, but Seattle (3-3-0-4, 10 points) comes into to the Arena tonight just a win away from tying the Chiefs.

The usual buzzwords lace interviews with players and coaches: “We just need to … work harder” or “play for a full 60 minutes.” However, there is one particular area of focus for the team this time: “discipline.”

The Chiefs have been committing too many costly penalties – often when they are already a man down. So, they have been taking a bad situation and making it worse: turning 5-on-4 penalty kills into something much tougher to defend, a 5-on-3.

The result of too many concurrent penalties – and the goals which have followed – is that the Chiefs’ formerly solid penalty kill unit is now in the bottom third among WHL teams (16th out of 21). Opponents are scoring goals against Spokane 20 percent of the time while on the power play.

To further compound the Chiefs’ problems, they haven’t been converting their man-advantage situations. Spokane’s power play ranks next to last in the league with a conversion rate of 12 percent.

The current five-game losing streak is illustrative:

“Spokane has scored on only three of its last 32 power plays (9 percent) while allowing opponents to go 9 for 39 (23 percent);

“The Chiefs have been outscored 18-8, with half of rivals’ goals coming on the power play; and

“Spokane has been shut out twice during the last three games, games in which it has also been shut out on the power play.

There are two other quantifiable factors to consider when looking at the Chiefs’ sub-.500 start through 13 games: goaltending and strength of schedule.

Peters says he is pleased with the play of both goaltenders, but the numbers show a subtle contrast at the position.

Veteran Kevin Armstrong, who finished strongly last season, has been in net for four of Spokane’s losses during its current losing streak. Further, Armstrong (2-5-2) has allowed three or more goals in all but two of his nine starts.

Meanwhile, newcomer Dustin Tokarski (3-1 in five games) has allowed two goals or less in three of his five appearances (one in relief of Armstrong). Statistically, Tokarski is the WHL’s top rookie goalie and is ranked higher than Armstrong among WHL goalies in every category.

Tokarski’s 2.59 goals-against average is good for 11th overall and his saves percentage of .916 is seventh best. Armstrong’s averages are 3.42 (24th) and .884 (22nd). For a team like Spokane struggling to score goals, a goalie allowing nearly one extra goal per game can be critical.

Peters cautions that the 72-game season is young. And neither he nor his players want to use a tough early-season schedule as an excuse, but Spokane has faced just that.

Eight of the Chiefs’ first 13 games have come against teams that are ranked among the Canadian Hockey League’s Top 10. The Chiefs have gone 3-5 against those teams: No. 1 Vancouver (0-2); No. 4 Everett (2-1); No. 5 Medicine Hat (0-1); and No. 9 Tri-City (1-1).

Of course, Spokane also has the blemish of a loss to expansion Chilliwack last weekend – a result which begs the question of whether the team is playing up to its potential. To a player, the Chiefs will tell you they have not done that on a consistent basis.

It’s clear that intangibles such as team chemistry and locker room leadership are still in the process of jelling. Spokane will get an opportunity to reverse its fortunes with a four-game homestand opening against three unranked foes beginning tonight.