Playfair, Whittingham score twice apiece in Chiefs win

CRANBROOK, British Columbia – Jackson Playfair and the Spokane Chiefs had a second period to remember on Friday night.

Right wing Playfair scored twice during a four-goal second period to help Spokane return from its holiday break with a 6-4 win over the Kootenay Ice at Western Financial Place.

Riley Whittingham, another right wing, also scored twice as the Chiefs ran their Western Hockey League winning streak to four, a season high matched twice before.

Playfair entered the game with four career goals. Whittingham, with eight goals this season, boosted his career total to 14. Both had their first career multigoal games.

Chiefs captain Reid Gow returned after missing seven games with an upper-body injury and notched his 34th assist on Mike Aviani’s league-best 16th power-play goal. Mitch Holmberg also assisted on the goal, Aviani’s 27th overall, to pick up his league-best 75th point.

The Chiefs improved to 22-12-0-2, 46 points and dropped the Ice to 18-17-2-1.

Kootenay defeated Spokane 3-2 on Nov. 9.