Spokane Chiefs fall to Tri-City again, this one a 5-1 thumping

There’s something about facing Tri-City that gives Spokane fits.

The Chiefs fell to 2-7-1-0 against the Americans this season after a 5-1 thumping at the Arena on Saturday.

“That’s the one team we have not solve,” Spokane head coach Don Nachbaur said.

It’s puzzling for Nachbaur and the Chiefs, who have at least held their own against U.S. Division opponents. Spokane holds a 3-2-1-0 record against Western-Conference leading Everett, a 3-4-1-0 record against Seattle and a 2-3-1-0 record against Portland.

What gives Tri-City the upper hand? Nachbaur believes it has to do with failing to charge the net.

“They’re a big team. We get chances to score, but we don’t get second chances,” Nachbaur said. “I think we had one or two second chances off of rebounds, and it really comes down to penetrating the inside and we didn’t get to the inside to score, meaning having guys at the front of the net finding those loose pucks.”

It was all downhill for the Chiefs after Kailer Yamamoto scored off a beautiful spinning feed from Jaret Anderson-Dolan from the left circle.

Tyler Sandhu scored in the first and second period to propel the Americans into the lead.

“Our power play could have had the game at 2-2, and we didn’t get it done,” Nachbaur said. “That was probably the turning point of the game.”

The third period was where it all fell apart. Jordan Topping scored on a 4-on-4, finding room in the slot and sniping a shot past Chiefs goaltender Jayden Sittler to make it 3-1.

“The third goal was a back breaker for us,” Nachbaur said. “We lacked any intensity on that goal.”

Sandhu followed with his third goal in as many periods to complete his hat trick, putting the game out of reach. Both goals came off of Spokane turnovers that lead to a rush opportunity for Tri-City.

Defensive mistakes and turnovers derailed any possiblity of a comeback.

“(We made) mistakes, and then we couldn’t defend the mistakes,” Nachbaur said. “I thought we were just weak defensively around our net. Our goalie was left swimming at times because of us staring at pucks and stick checking.

Spokane also missed a sterling opportunity to gain two points on Portland, which leads the Chiefs by nine points for the eighth and final Western Conference playoff spot, with the Winterhawks not in action Ssaturday night.