Ty Smith has goal, two assists and Spokane Chiefs open WHL season with win

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. – Ty Smith had a goal with two assists and the Spokane Chiefs topped the Prince George Cougars 4-2 on Friday in the Western Hockey League regular season opener for both teams at CN Centre, giving Dan Lambert his first win as head coach in Spokane.

Taylor Ross set the tone with a goal early in the first period in and Riley Woods scored a short-handed goal 7 minutes later. Hudson Elynuik’s second period, power-play goal made it 3-0.

Prince George got on the board with just less than 4 minutes left in the second period on Nikita Popugaev’s first of the campaign.

But Smith answered that with his first just 58 seconds into the third period. PG’s Ethan O’Rourke made it a two-goal game again midway through the third, but the Cougars got no closer.

Woods, Elynuik and Riley McKay all registered two-point nights.

Dawson Weatherill went the distance in goal with 28 saves.

The Chiefs played without Kailer Yamamoto (Edmonton Oilers) and Jaret Anderson-Dolan (Los Angeles Kings), both of whom are still in preseason training camp with their respective NHL clubs.

Yamamoto had a goal – his third of the preseason – in the Oilers’ 5-3 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Friday in an NHL preseason game.