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

Chiefs need all hands on deck

Face U.S. champ Everett in first round

There are better ways to head into postseason play than dragging along a five-game losing streak.

But the Spokane Chiefs aren’t shrinking from the task of meeting U.S. Division champion Everett in the first round of the Western Hockey League playoffs.

Despite dropping its final five regular-season games, Spokane is optimistic as it prepares for Games 1 and 2 tonight and Saturday at the Silvertips’ Xfinity Arena.

Everett (43-20-3-6), which held down the No. 9 spot in the final Canadian Hockey League rankings, won five of eight regular-season games against Spokane (34-34-3-1), but half of the matchups were decided by one goal.

“We’ve had very competitive games all year with Everett,” Chiefs center Calder Brooks said. “We know that when we play our game we can match up against them very well. We like our chances, but they’re a very good squad over there and we have to bring our ‘A’ game in order to win this series.”

“They’re the favorites, there’s no question,” Chiefs head coach Don Nachbaur said. “They’re a good team. … They have really good depth and their ‘D’ has been solid and they have strong goaltending, too. So it’s not going to be an easy series for us.”

Everett finished ninth in the 22-team WHL with 242 goals. But the Silvertips ranked second, behind only Western Conference No. 1 seed Kelowna, in goals allowed (199). Spokane averaged about 3 1/2 goals per game against Everett.

“It’s a good challenge and we’ve matched up really well against them this year,” Chiefs right wing Jackson Playfair said. “We’ve had some really good games, and going into the playoffs we have to know that it’s going to be about us and how we play.”

“It’s going to take every guy,” Nachbaur said. “You have to have every oar in the water and if you don’t, you won’t get it done. You have to have every kid committed and if you have guys thinking that it’s going to be too hard, it’s going to be one and done.”

Nikita Scherbak, a first-round selection by the Montreal Canadiens last year, leads Everett with 82 points. He and Carson Stadnyk scored 27 goals apiece, three fewer than team leader Kohl Bauml.

Adam Helewka topped the Chiefs with 44 goals and 87 points. Captain Jason Fram accounted for 62 points and a team-best 53 assists, and Liam Stewart (25 goals), Brooks (23) and Kailer Yamamoto (23) helped spark the offense.

“They’re a really good team, but if we play our game I think we might have a chance,” Stewart said. “I don’t want to say anything that I’ll regret, but we’ll go in there with our heads high and battle our hearts out.”

The Chiefs have faced the Silvertips three times in the postseason, defeating Everett on the way to winning the 2008 Memorial Cup but losing series in 2004 and 2007.

Spokane has lost eight consecutive playoffs games. Victoria swept the Chiefs during last season’s opening round and Portland posted a second-round sweep in the 2012-13 playoffs.