Grabner’s late short-handed goal lifts Chiefs to win
KAMLOOPS, British Columbia – Michael Grabner broke a 3-all tie with a short-handed goal at 15 minutes, 44 seconds of the third period Wednesday to give the Spokane Chiefs a 4-3 Western Hockey League victory over the Kamloops Blazers.
Grabner finished with two goals for the Chiefs (31-22-3-3). Derek Ryan and Adam Hobson also scored for Spokane.
Terrance Delaronde, Juuso Puustinen and Ray Macias had goals for the Blazers (38-16-2-1).
Spokane goaltender Kevin Armstrong stopped 24 shots, while Kamloops goalie Dalyn Flette had 16 saves.
The Chiefs played without forward J.P. Szaszkiewicz, who underwent an appendectomy at a local hospital and will be out of the lineup for three weeks.
| Spokane | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 4 | |
| Kamloops | 2 | 0 | 1 | — | 3 |
First Period—1, Kam, Delaronde 12 (Shattock) 6:40; 2, Spo, Ryan 21 (Rutherford, Zimmerman) 7:02; 3, Spo, Grabner 27 ( Blackwater, Lenoski) 16:17 (pp); 4, Kam, Puustinen 30 (Jorgensen, Nixon) 19:23. Second Period—5, Spo, Hobson 12 (Koper, Linsley) 19:42. Third Period—6, Kam, Macias 22 4:43 (pp); 7, Spo, Grabner 28 15:42 (sh). Power play —Spokane 1 of 5; Kamloops 1 of 6. Saves—Spokane, Armstrong 24. Kamloops, Flette 16. A—4,551.