Mucha too much

The Spokane Chiefs played a heck of a hockey game on Halloween night.

Unfortunately, Portland goalie Kurtis Mucha came dressed as future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur.

Mucha made 35 saves, more than a handful of the spectacular variety plus a penalty shot, as the Winterhawks blanked the Chiefs 2-0 before 4,642 fans at the Arena Saturday night.

“Going into the game I was really focused,” Mucha said. “The team has had a great year and I’m having an average year, so I wanted to make sure I came out strong.

“Early on they tested me pretty well and I responded with some good saves. I definitely had some luck tonight. The hockey gods were with me on a few occasions, but that’s the way it goes, right?”

The Winterhawks (13-5-0, 26 points) got the winner late in the second period when Spencer Bennett poked a rebound of his own shot between Michael Tadjdeh’s pads. Jacob Berglund had centered the puck with Bennett redirecting it on goal.

Brad Ross added an empty-net goal with 16 seconds left.

“It’s frustrating because when you play like this a lot of nights you’re going to get the win, at least a couple of goals,” Chiefs forward Mitch Wahl said. “If we can bring an effort close to this and bear down when we get our chances, most nights we’re going to win.”

Mucha said an early kick save got him going, adding, “After that I was kind of in a zone and they were unable to beat me tonight.”

Maybe it wasn’t Wahl who got robbed on that occasion, but there were other times he certainly did – and that has been going on for nine games now as he admitted to feeling a little snakebit.

“It’s frustrating, but I’m not complaining, I’m getting my chances,” he said. “I just have to find a way to put it in the back of the net. If I keep working hard and playing the game right it will eventually turn around for me.”

And Mucha knew he had to be sharp as the Chiefs (6-6-2, 13 points) had a 14-4 shot advantage in the first period and 13-8 in the second.

“It was one of those nights I had to put up a zero … they played better than us tonight,” he said. “If they got it back to 1-1 it could have been a different night for sure.”

The Winterhawks became more aggressive in the third period, outshooting the Chiefs 13-8. Tadjdeh, making his second consecutive start, made some big saves.

“You have to stay mentally prepared when they’re not getting lots of shots,” Tadjdeh said.

“If we play with that effort and generate those kinds of chances, we’re going to win a lot of games,” Spokane coach Hardy Sauter said.

Ice chips

Spokane rookie Mitch Holmberg was awarded a penalty shot early in the second period, but Mucha stopped him when he tried to go to his backhand. … The Chiefs only had one power-play opportunity, Portland just three. … Spokane forward T.C. Cratsenberg didn’t dress for the second straight game after serving a one-game suspension for a match misconduct Oct. 24 against Tri-City – his second suspension.