Chiefs have week in Tri-City
With the Spokane Chiefs gone for a week - if not for the season - with soft-pedaled today's Western Hockey League playoff game at Tri-City. The Chiefs, tied with the Americans 1-1 in their best-of-7 second-round series, play in Tri Thursday and Sunday as well. They have to win one to regain home ice, but they need more since the Ams proved in Game One they can win in Spokane. Game 6, if necessary, is at the Arena next Tuesday.
As the host newspaper, the Tri-City Herald had a bigger advance ... and note that TC defenseman Tyler Schmidt was suspended for tonight's game because of a game misconduct last game ... and the Chiefs were fined $250 because the player Schmidt hit, Darren Kramer, went to the TC lockerroom, opened the door and confronted Schmidt. ... Don't know the exact details of that but there was a WHL official at the game, so it apparently wasn't as serious as the Americans made it out to be after the game, but wasn't a nothing incident as the Chiefs hinted.
One more thing ... Chilliwack. The Bruins is movin' ... and it hasn't been a pretty process. You've got to question the league and the owners in this situation.