Big hockey post
There have been quite a few distractions lately, but we'll play catchup on the Western Hocke League now.
The Chiefs return home Friday night after a strange sequence of eight games on the road. They finished their swing through the Central Division by winning two of three. If memory serves, that's four wins in six games. Then after a week off the Chiefs win at Tri-City (3-2), which has the best record in the league, only to lose at Everett (3-2) and Kamloops (8-1), with a nice feature on Spokane's Tyler Johnson. The Chiefs bounced back with a 4-1 at Chilliwack on Wednesday (game story below).
A couple of interesting notes from Alan Caldwell's blog. The big one is the stretch run, which points out in the West the Chiefs have the toughest remaining schedule but the most home games. The other is how teams have fared since the trade deadline.
Here is Eric Walsh's game story from Chilliwack:
A Spokane squad still smarting from an 8-1 loss to Kamloops Tuesday night took out their frustrations on Chilliwack Wednesday night, dealing the Bruins a 4-1 loss at Prospera Centre. James Reid made 22 saves to beat the Bruins for the fifth time in five tries, and the Chiefs got goals from four different players. The Bruins, sixth in the Western conference standings, saw their record slip to 23-24-1-5 while fifth place Spokane improved to 28-18-3-1. The Chiefs had the Bruins were in chase mode for most of the opening frame, and it showed up in a steady march to the penalty box. Spokane had four power play opportunities in period one, and cashed in with two goals. The first came at 13:40, with Chilliwack captain Brandon Manning serving two minutes for hooking. Five seconds before the penalty expired, Tyler Johnson cut through the left faceoff circle and wired a wrist shot top shelf glove side on Bruins netminder Lucas Gore. Gore was heavily screened on the play and never saw the shot. Chilliwack ran into more penalty trouble late in the period when Colton Grant and Manning took back-to-back hooking minors. Working on the five-on-three, Chiefs captain Jared Cowen parked his huge frame in front of the net. Johnson threw the puck into the crease, and Cowen batted it past Gore at 16:39, staking Spokane to a 2-0 lead. Shots on goal in the first period were 17-9 in favour of the Chiefs. The beleaguered Bruins didn`t get any relief in the second period as Spokane continued to pour on the pressure. The Chiefs added to their lead 5:48 in on a goal by Kyle Beach. The Chicago Blackhawks prospect cracked the 30 goal mark for the first time in his Western Hockey League career, with a big helping hand from Calgary Flames prospect Mitch Wahl. Wahl collected a Levko Koper pass in the neutral zone and streaked toward the Chilliwack net. As Bruins blueliner Matt Delahey moved laterally to cut him off, Wahl fed a backhand saucer pass to Beach, who lasered the puck top-shelf over Gore`s outstretched glove. Wahl got one of his own at 14:58, using a beautiful toe-drag move to get around Zach Habscheid before going high blocker-side for his 23rd of the season. Looking to protect his goaltender`s confidence, Chilliwack coach Marc Habscheid lifted Gore (four goals on 25 shots) at that point in favour of backup Braden Gamble. Shots on goal in the second period were 9-6 in favour of the Chiefs. The Bruins brought a silent crowd to life in the opening minute of period three. Brett Bartman`s breakout pass was turned over just inside the Spokane blueline. Kevin Sundher moved in quickly and fed Alexander Wiklund. The Swede rifled a one-timer past Reid at the 33 second mark for his seventh of the season, raising the slim possibility of a comeback. But the stingy Chiefs proved to be ruthlessly efficient at protecting their three goal lead. There was a flurry of activity around the Spokane net during a late Chilliwack power play, but otherwise, the Bruins generated just eight shots on goal in the final frame. The only other highlight in the third period was a scrap between Zach Habscheid and Beach, with Beach earning a decision. The Bruins have a light weekend ahead. The Medicine Hat Tigers are in town for a Friday night tilt, and then Chilliwack is off until Tuesday when they play host to the Lethbridge Hurricanes. - Three stars were Tyler Johnson (first), Mitch Wahl (second) and Kyle Beach (third). - Ryan Howse picked up an assist on the lone Chilliwack goal, but failed to hit the scoresheet himself for the fifth straight game. At 35 goals, Howse remains four shy of Oscar Moller`s single season record of 39. |
A
James Reid made 22 saves to beat the Bruins for the fifth time in five tries, and the Chiefs got goals from four different players. The Bruins, sixth in the Western conference standings, saw their record slip to 23-24-1-5 while fifth place
The Chiefs had the Bruins were in chase mode for most of the opening frame, and it showed up in a steady march to the penalty box.
The first came at , with
Gore was heavily screened on the play and never saw the shot.
Shots on goal in the first period were 17-9 in favour of the Chiefs.
The beleaguered Bruins didn`t get any relief in the second period as
Wahl collected a Levko Koper pass in the neutral zone and streaked toward the
Wahl got one of his own at , using a beautiful toe-drag move to get around Zach Habscheid before going high blocker-side for his 23rd of the season.
Looking to protect his goaltender`s confidence, Chilliwack coach Marc Habscheid lifted Gore (four goals on 25 shots) at that point in favour of backup Braden Gamble.
Shots on goal in the second period were 9-6 in favour of the Chiefs.
The Bruins brought a silent crowd to life in the opening minute of period three. Brett Bartman`s breakout pass was turned over just inside the Spokane blueline. Kevin Sundher moved in quickly and fed Alexander Wiklund. The Swede rifled a one-timer past Reid at the 33 second mark for his seventh of the season, raising the slim possibility of a comeback.
But the stingy Chiefs proved to be ruthlessly efficient at protecting their three goal lead. There was a flurry of activity around the
The only other highlight in the third period was a scrap between Zach Habscheid and Beach, with Beach earning a decision.
The Bruins have a light weekend ahead. The Medicine Hat Tigers are in town for a Friday night tilt, and then
- Three stars were Tyler Johnson (first), Mitch Wahl (second) and Kyle Beach (third).
A
James Reid made 22 saves to beat the Bruins for the fifth time in five tries, and the Chiefs got goals from four different players. The Bruins, sixth in the Western conference standings, saw their record slip to 23-24-1-5 while fifth place
The Chiefs had the Bruins were in chase mode for most of the opening frame, and it showed up in a steady march to the penalty box.
The first came at , with
Gore was heavily screened on the play and never saw the shot.
Shots on goal in the first period were 17-9 in favour of the Chiefs.
The beleaguered Bruins didn`t get any relief in the second period as
Wahl collected a Levko Koper pass in the neutral zone and streaked toward the
Wahl got one of his own at , using a beautiful toe-drag move to get around Zach Habscheid before going high blocker-side for his 23rd of the season.
Looking to protect his goaltender`s confidence, Chilliwack coach Marc Habscheid lifted Gore (four goals on 25 shots) at that point in favour of backup Braden Gamble.
Shots on goal in the second period were 9-6 in favour of the Chiefs.
The Bruins brought a silent crowd to life in the opening minute of period three. Brett Bartman`s breakout pass was turned over just inside the Spokane blueline. Kevin Sundher moved in quickly and fed Alexander Wiklund. The Swede rifled a one-timer past Reid at the 33 second mark for his seventh of the season, raising the slim possibility of a comeback.
But the stingy Chiefs proved to be ruthlessly efficient at protecting their three goal lead. There was a flurry of activity around the
The only other highlight in the third period was a scrap between Zach Habscheid and Beach, with Beach earning a decision.
The Bruins have a light weekend ahead. The Medicine Hat Tigers are in town for a Friday night tilt, and then
- Three stars were Tyler Johnson (first), Mitch Wahl (second) and Kyle Beach (third).
A Spokane squad still smarting from an 8-1 loss to Kamloops Tuesday night took out their frustrations on Chilliwack Wednesday night, dealing the Bruins a 4-1 loss at Prospera Centre. James Reid made 22 saves to beat the Bruins for the fifth time in five tries, and the Chiefs got goals from four different players. The Bruins, sixth in the Western conference standings, saw their record slip to 23-24-1-5 while fifth place Spokane improved to 28-18-3-1. The Chiefs had the Bruins were in chase mode for most of the opening frame, and it showed up in a steady march to the penalty box. Spokane had four power play opportunities in period one, and cashed in with two goals. The first came at 13:40, with Chilliwack captain Brandon Manning serving two minutes for hooking. Five seconds before the penalty expired, Tyler Johnson cut through the left faceoff circle and wired a wrist shot top shelf glove side on Bruins netminder Lucas Gore. Gore was heavily screened on the play and never saw the shot. Chilliwack ran into more penalty trouble late in the period when Colton Grant and Manning took back-to-back hooking minors. Working on the five-on-three, Chiefs captain Jared Cowen parked his huge frame in front of the net. Johnson threw the puck into the crease, and Cowen batted it past Gore at 16:39, staking Spokane to a 2-0 lead. Shots on goal in the first period were 17-9 in favour of the Chiefs. The beleaguered Bruins didn`t get any relief in the second period as Spokane continued to pour on the pressure. The Chiefs added to their lead 5:48 in on a goal by Kyle Beach. The Chicago Blackhawks prospect cracked the 30 goal mark for the first time in his Western Hockey League career, with a big helping hand from Calgary Flames prospect Mitch Wahl. Wahl collected a Levko Koper pass in the neutral zone and streaked toward the Chilliwack net. As Bruins blueliner Matt Delahey moved laterally to cut him off, Wahl fed a backhand saucer pass to Beach, who lasered the puck top-shelf over Gore`s outstretched glove. Wahl got one of his own at 14:58, using a beautiful toe-drag move to get around Zach Habscheid before going high blocker-side for his 23rd of the season. Looking to protect his goaltender`s confidence, Chilliwack coach Marc Habscheid lifted Gore (four goals on 25 shots) at that point in favour of backup Braden Gamble. Shots on goal in the second period were 9-6 in favour of the Chiefs. The Bruins brought a silent crowd to life in the opening minute of period three. Brett Bartman`s breakout pass was turned over just inside the Spokane blueline. Kevin Sundher moved in quickly and fed Alexander Wiklund. The Swede rifled a one-timer past Reid at the 33 second mark for his seventh of the season, raising the slim possibility of a comeback. But the stingy Chiefs proved to be ruthlessly efficient at protecting their three goal lead. There was a flurry of activity around the Spokane net during a late Chilliwack power play, but otherwise, the Bruins generated just eight shots on goal in the final frame. The only other highlight in the third period was a scrap between Zach Habscheid and Beach, with Beach earning a decision. The Bruins have a light weekend ahead. The Medicine Hat Tigers are in town for a Friday night tilt, and then Chilliwack is off until Tuesday when they play host to the Lethbridge Hurricanes. - Three stars were Tyler Johnson (first), Mitch Wahl (second) and Kyle Beach (third). - Ryan Howse picked up an assist on the lone Chilliwack goal, but failed to hit the scoresheet himself for the fifth straight game. At 35 goals, Howse remains four shy of Oscar Moller`s single season record of 39. |