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Spokane Chiefs

Kailer Yamamoto hat trick not enough as Spokane Chiefs fall to Tri-City in overtime

From staff reports

KENNEWICK – Even though the Spokane Chiefs have been eliminated from playoff contention, they’re going down swinging.

Kailer Yamamoto scored twice in the final 61 seconds of regulation to complete a hat trick and force overtime, but Morgan Geekie got his second of the game just 28 seconds into the extra session and the Tri-City Americans beat the Chiefs 5-4 on Friday in Western Hockey League play at Toyota Center.

They won’t reach the postseason this year, and it was the Chiefs’ eight loss in a row, but coach Don Nachbaur is still using these matchups for teaching purposes and must have relished his team’s fight at the end of the third.

Yamamoto is putting the finishing touches on a spectacular season. The three goals give him 42 on the season, and his brother Keanu picked up the primary assist on the game-tying goal with 36 seconds remaining skating six-on-five.

The Americans scored first, with Vladislav Lukin potting his 25th of the season with 25 seconds left in the first period. Yamamoto’s first of the night late, on a power play, in the second tied it.

Tri-City’s Dylan Coghlan notched his 14th just 22 seconds into the third, and Tyler Sandhu made it 3-1 midway through the frame on his 22nd.

Hudson Elynuik pulled the Chiefs within one with his 28th at the 12:28 mark, but Geekie restored the Americans’ two-goal lead with his first of the night 2 1/2 minutes later.

The Chiefs (26-33-7-3, 62 points) host Tri-City on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. before closing the season on Sunday in Portland at 5.