In brief: Winterhawks vs. Chiefs, Part V

WHL: The Spokane Chiefs’ reward for ending a 10-game home losing streak to Portland – when they knocked off the Western Hockey League-leading Winterhawks 4-3 Saturday night – is a rematch.

Portland (22-7-0-3, 47 points) returns to the Arena tonight to face the Chiefs (14-9-2-2, 32) at 7.

Portland, which won all eight games in Spokane last season, including four in the playoffs, opened the season with a pair of one-goal wins at the Arena. The Chiefs, however, have won two straight over the Hawks and with points in 11 of their last 12 games are in the thick of the jumbled Western Conference standings.

The Chiefs are two points behind second place, but at the same time they’re just four ahead of last-place Everett.

Spokane forward Tyler Johnson has moved into the top 15 in scoring with 18 goals and 18 assists. Goalie James Reid (pictured) is fifth in goals-against average at 2.60.

Despite missing seven games with an injury, Brenden Kichton is 10th among defensemen in scoring with 22 points – four goals, 18 assists.

In all likelihood it’s the last home game for quite a while for captain Jared Cowen, who leaves after Friday’s road game for Team Canada tryouts. If he makes the team for the World Junior tournament, he’ll miss nine games.

Dave Trimmer

BSU’s Kustra takes on BCS

College football: Boise State president Bob Kustra is taking another swing at the Bowl Championship Series, this time condemning the system that determines the national championship and other postseason games for being allowed to operate under a shroud of secrecy.

Kustra dashed off an e-mail to fellow university presidents and conference commissioners Tuesday, one day after analysts discovered an error in the final BCS rankings. The glitch caused BCS officials to revise the computer rankings, moving Boise State up one spot to No. 10 and dropping LSU to No. 11.

The adjustment didn’t have any impact on the Broncos’ postseason date in the MAACO Bowl in Las Vegas with No. 20 Utah. But it gave Kustra, a vocal and persistent BCS critic, an opportunity to blast officials from the BCS and the NCAA for the system’s lack of public accountability.

Associated Press