Taking their shot

There’s an ice-block sized chip on the shoulder of Dustin Donaghy, and so far that’s working to his advantage.

After playing in 38 games last season as a rookie and seeing hardly any ice time in the postseason, the Spokane Chiefs forward is looking to expand his role on the team this season.

He started his second campaign in Spokane with a goal and an assist on Sunday afternoon to help Team White to a 3-1 victory over Team Red in the Chiefs’ annual Red-White scrimmage in front of 2,127 fans at the Arena. The game marked the official end of this year’s training camp.

“I want to prove something out there that I can be more than a fourth-line player and actually contribute a lot on the ice and off the ice,” Donaghy said. “I came expecting a bigger role this year. Not so much as a goal-scorer, but I want to prove I can create chances and just get more ice time and be a good two-way player.”

He certainly started off on the right foot.

“Dustin had an excellent camp,” Chiefs head coach Hardy Sauter said. “I’ve seen him play now for three or four years and he’s just a competitor. I don’t expect anything less than him winning a game.”

Forward Justin McCrae and defenseman Justin Falk – two pro prospects who, if returned from NHL camps, will be competing for three overage roster spots – also contributed on offense. McCrae, a Carolina Hurricanes prospect, notched two assists and Falk scored White’s second goal.

Veteran forward Tyler Johnson, a Liberty Lake native and MVP of the Chiefs’ Western Hockey League championship series victory over Lethbridge in early May, scored Team Red’s lone goal when he popped in a rebound of a shot on Memorial Cup MVP goalie Dustin Tokarski. Veteran forward Ryan Letts assisted on the goal.

Tokarski played the first and third periods and made 27 saves for Team White. Brendan Edie, a 15-year-old seventh-round pick in this year’s bantam draft, made 12 saves in the second period.

Team Red’s James Reid made 25 saves in the first and third periods and 15-year-old Cole Cheveldave made seven saves in the second. Reid made two excellent saves midway through the third – a diving stop on a shot by McCrae and a bullet by Steven Kuhn, a 17-year-old with a strong chance of making this year’s roster, seconds after McCrae’s shot.

“It’s a good start,” Sauter said in regards to Reid, who is slated to be Tokarski’s backup this season. “You never know how a guy you have penciled in as your backup is going to play – whether he’s going to be on his toes playing hard or whether he’s just going to sort of relax and think he has the job.

“I was real happy with how James came to play.”

McCrae and Falk are just two of four 20-year-old players vying for the three overage spots.

Defenseman Trevor Glass and forward Seth Compton, who scored White’s final goal on an empty net, are also in the hunt. If Falk – a Minnesota Wild prospect who will attend NHL camp in September – is returned to Spokane along with McCrae, there will inevitably be an odd-man out.

Compton, a gritty fourth-line forward who served as an alternate captain last season, appears to be that guy on paper. But it would be a mistake to jump to any conclusions, especially when it comes to a player like Compton, who has a tremendous amount of respect from his peers and coaches.

“It’s no secret that there are four 20-year-old’s, and they had to come ready to play and do all the right things,” Sauter said. “Seth has done those things, and he’s had an extremely good camp – especially compared to last year in my opinion. He’s not doing anything to hurt his chances – that’s for sure.”

The younger players also made a strong impression on Sauter, who said the Chiefs will take between 28-30 players to Everett this weekend for the preseason tournament.

“Everyone who played in the game today was a pleasant surprise,” Sauter said of the 39 players who dressed for the scrimmage. “We have four (15-year-old’s) that we’re hoping will play in (the Everett tournament) because if they don’t play for us next year we’re confident they will the year after.”

Three of the four 15-year-olds that will be kept around for the experience are Mitch Holmberg, Spokane’s first-round draft pick this year, Brady Brassart and Michael Aviani. All three are forwards. Local defenseman Tanner Mort, a Post Falls native, could be the fourth.

“To have four kids play that good this soon is a real good sign,” Sauter said. “Camp, as a whole, was a real good start for us as a team.”

Ice chips

Last season’s leading scorer Drayson Bowman, who recently signed an entry-level contract with Carolina, did not play. He is currently training in Carolina and will return for some preseason games with the Chiefs before heading back to pro camp. … The Chiefs play their first three exhibition games this weekend at the Everett tournament. Spokane plays Everett, Portland and Tri-City, respectively, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. … Sauter said the ongoing search for an assistant coach will hopefully conclude by the end of the week.