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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Chiefs lose first game to Everett

Silvertips go OT for first win over Spokane

EVERETT – One night after falling to 0-7 against the Portland Winterhawks, the Spokane Chiefs came up just short of improving to 7-0 against the Everett Silvertips. Ivan Nikolishin scored a power-play goal with 36 seconds left in overtime Saturday to give the Silvertips (26-19-7-1, 60 points) a 5-4 Western Hockey League win over the Chiefs (31-16-3-2, 67) at Comcast Arena. The Chiefs had been 6-0 against Everett this season, with two overtime wins and one regulation win decided by one goal. The three other wins were decided by two goals. Nikolishin’s second goal of the game came 1:26 after Spokane’s Adam Helewka was whistled for high sticking. The Chiefs forced OT when WHL goals leader Mitch Holmberg recorded his 47th, on an unassisted play, with 11:26 left. Colton Bobyk had his top offensive night with Spokane, scoring twice to give him four goals for the season, and hitting the crossbar during an OT power play. His first-period goal, assisted by Holmberg, opened the scoring, and his power-play goal early in the second gave the Chiefs a 3-2 lead. Spokane is 9-3-3-0 in its last 15 games. The Chiefs moved within two points of Seattle (69) for fourth place in the Western Conference. Seattle visits the Arena on Wednesday. Spokane finished its four-games-in-five days road trip 2-1-1-0.