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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Chiefs left standing

Spokane's David Rutherford (20) fights off Tri-City's Tyler Schmidt (6) and slides the puck past goalie Chet Pickard for the first goal. Tri-City Herald
 (Rich Dickin Tri-City Herald / The Spokesman-Review)

Of the few lows, it would have been the lowest.

Of all the highs – and throughout this Western Hockey League season there have been plenty for the Spokane Chiefs – this was, by far, the highest.

Goalie Dustin Tokarski stopped 31 shots between the posts as the Chiefs put an end to the madness with a Western Conference championship series-clinching 4-1 victory over their longstanding rivals – the Tri-City Americans.

The Americans can keep their Scotty Munro Trophy, which they captured on March 15 in a winner-take-all game in the final weekend of the regular season with a 2-1 victory over Spokane.

The Chiefs will take their spot in the WHL finals, where they will take on the Eastern Conference-champion Lethbridge Hurricanes in their first appearance in the league finals since they lost to the Kootenay Ice in six games in 2000.

“(The Ams) had our number most of the year,” said Chiefs captain Chris Bruton, who finished with an assist in the game. “I think for years to come everyone is going to talk about these two teams and the battle they had throughout the regular season and then in this series.”

The series, among the longest in franchise history for Spokane, featured five overtime games – three that ended in double overtime. During their 2008 playoff campaign, the Chiefs have set a franchise postseason record with their six overtime games – five with Tri-City and one with Everett in the first round – one more than they had in 2002 when they went beyond regulation three times in a five-game series against the Americans.

Tokarski, who allowed 10 goals in the seven-game series, was named the series’ Most Valuable Player in a postgame ceremony.

“It’s amazing, just shove it right at ‘em,” Tokarski said with a laugh. “I was personally under that radar for a very long time. It’s a good feeling personally and (Tri-City goalie) Chet Pickard played an absolutely amazing series – so it’s good to go up against someone great and come out on top.”

Judd Blackwater finished with two goals in the game, including the winner 16 seconds into the third period and an empty-net goal with 30 seconds remaining in the game.

David Rutherford gave the Chiefs a 1-0 lead in the first, scoring 12:50 into the period.

Chiefs defenseman Trevor Glass passed the puck to Rutherford at Spokane’s offensive blue line and Rutherford was tripped by Tyler Schmidt at the top of the right circle. With the late penalty called, Rutherford kept control of the puck on his knees, slid in front of the crease and went forehand to backhand before he flicked the puck into the net.

The Americans evened the score 6:59 into the second when Colton Yellow Horn fired a shot in that Tokarski initially blocked, but with heavy traffic out front, Yellow Horn wrapped around the net and lifted the puck top shelf.

Drayson Bowman scored the Chiefs’ third goal on a power play 8:29 into the third to give Spokane a 3-1 lead.

“It’s unbelievable – I don’t even have that emotion of elation. It’s just relief, to be honest,” said Chiefs coach Bill Peters. “Just the closeness of the series, the emotions that are involved in the series, just how hard it was to get this thing looked after – 10 or 11 days of some of the best hockey I’ve been a part of.

“When people look back on this series over time, it’s going to be a classic. It probably should be an instant classic already.”

Ice chips

The WHL Awards Luncheon is today in Calgary, Alberta, where individual awards will be announced. Spokane’s Jared Cowen is the Western Conference finalist for the Scholastic Player of the Year Award along with Regina’s Jordan Eberle from the Eastern Conference. The Bantam Draft is Thursday in Calgary. The Red Deer Rebels won the draft lottery and will have the first overall selection. The Chiefs will pick 21st in the first round. … Blake Gal (F), Dustin Donaghy (F), Brett Bartman (D) and Jace Coyle (D) were healthy scratches for Spokane.