Chiefs even series with Americans
UPDATE: Monday morning, computer issues kept us from linking Sunday night.
The Spokane Chiefs rebounded from a disappointing opener, cashing in on three of five power plays, to whip the Tri-City Americans 6-2 Sunday night and even their best-of-7 Western Hockey League playoff series 1-2.
The next three games are in Kennewick Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday.
(As for the other series in the West, Portland evened its series with a 6-3 win over Kelowna.
Spokane came out of the first period with a 2-1 lead on a pair of Mitch Holmberg goals. Then in the second it was Matt Marantz, Kevko Koper and Steve Kuhn.
The Americans pulled Drew Owsley and put in 15-year recent Bantam signee Eric Comrie for the third period. Justin Fester scored for the Americans but then Tyler Johnson got that back. Holmberg, Koper and Johnson had power play goals.
Three stars: 3, Tyler Johnson. 2, Jared Cowen. 1, Mitch Holmberg
Long box below.
Chiefs 6, Americans 3
Spokane – Sunday
First period
1, Spo, Holmberg 3 (Vandane) 5:52.
2, TC, J.Messier 3 (Wilgosh, Reddick) 15:16.
3, Spo, Homberg 4 (Johnson, cowen) 19:00, pp.
Penalties – Hughesman, TC (roughing), Johnson, Spo (roughing) 11:18; Schmidt, TC (kneeing) 18:11, Yuen, TC (high sticking) 18:15.
Second period
4, Spo, Marantz 1 (Gal, Cowen) 8:48.
5, Spo, Koper 2 (Kichton, Cowen) 9:13, pp.
6, Spo, Kuhn 4 (Vandane, Marantz) 14:52.
Penalties – Aviani, Spo (tripping) 5:39; Sohor, TC (high sticking), 8:55; Reddick, TC (roughing, fighting major), Koper, Spo (instigator, fighting major, 10-minute misconduct), Sunderland, TC (10-minute misconduct), Uher, Spo (unsportsmanlike conduct, served by Valcourt, 10-minute misconduct) 9:31; Vanscourt, Spo (hooking) 16:01.
Third period
7, TC, Feser 4 (Holland, Ashton) 3:40.
8, Spo, Johnson 3 (Holmberg, Cowen) 10:35, pp
9, TC, Shinniman 3 (Reddick, Ashton) 19:43, pp.
Penalties – Schmidt, TC (clipping major, served by Hughesman, game misconduct) 7:55; Conrad, TC, roughing) 10:17; Miller, Spo (cross checking, served by Aviani, fighting major) , Prokop, TC (fighting major) 18:49.
Shots on goal by
Tri-City 5-3-7_15
Spokane 13-13-14_40
Goal (shots-saves) — Tri-City: Owsley (L, 5-1-0) 25-21; Comrie (20:00 of 3rd) 14-13. Spokane: Reid (W, 5-2-0) 15-12.
Power plays (goals-chances) — Tri-City 1-4; Spokane 3-5.
Referees — Matt Kirk, Sean Raphael. Linesmen — Clayton Richardson, Chris Sweeting.
Attendance – 5,026.
Scratches – Tri-City: Crhis Driedger, Clinton Atkinson, Marcus Messier, Max Moline. Spokane: Cole Hamblin, Marek Kalus, Brady Brassart, Reid Gow.