Chiefs move into first
Spokane rolls over Tri-City, slips past Portland
KENNEWICK – When you give up just one goal, your defense must have done something right. And the Spokane Chiefs’ did.
But it was a couple of offensive milestones that grabbed the spotlight as the Chiefs skated to a 5-1 Western Hockey League victory over the Tri-City Americans in the Toyota Center on Monday night that eased Spokane past idle Portland into first place in the U.S. Division.
Brenden Kichton rifled a shot from the point past Ams’ goalie Chris Driedger at 13:25 of the second period for his sixth goal in four games and 20th of the season. He is the fourth Chiefs defenseman to score 20 or more. Bryan McCabe was the last in 1993-94.
And Kenton Miller gave Spokane 11 players with 10 or more goals this season when he converted a Steven Kuhn pass into his 10th at 4:40 of the third.
Matt Marantz had a goal and assisted on Darren Kramer’s winner 2:19 after Tri-City tied the game midway in the second period.
Levko Koper’s 31st goal capped the scoring for Spokane in the makeup game from the New Year’s Eve contest that had to be rescheduled because of a bad ice surface.