After one of their most amazing comebacks in memory, Levko Koper (25 above, celebrating in the Colin Mulvany photo) gave the Spokane Chiefs a 5-4 series clinching win over the Tri-City Americans 6:39 into overtime Tuesday night, bringing a crowd of 6,083 to their feet in the Arena.

The Chiefs head to Portland for the Western Conference Finals beginning Friday.

Fighting to stay alive, the Americans showed much more life than the Chiefs, building a 3-0 lead after two periods but Spokane came back with three goals in the first 3:13 of the third period to tie the game.

3 stars: Patrick Holland, TC; 2, Kenton Miller. 1, Koper

Long box below

Chiefs 5, Americans 4, OT

Spokane – Tuesday

First period

1, TC, Hughesman 3 (Shinniman) 6:03.

Penalties – Gal, Spo (hooking) 11:12; Johnson, Spo (kneeing major served by Holmberg, game misconduct) 18:31.

Second period

2, TC, Holland 3 (Feser, Ashton) 2:42, pp.

3, TC, Holland 4 (Feser, Schmidt) 8:54.

Penalties – Schmidt, TC (hooking) 11:46; Uher, Spo (knee) 12:11.

Third period

4, Spo, Kramer 5 (Vandane, Valcourt) 1:16.

5, Spo, Mort 1 (Uher, Kuhn) 2:35.

6, Spo, Gal 7 (Kichton, Miller) 3:13.

7, Spo, Miller 3 (Baldwin) 8:57.

8, TC, Hughesman 4 (Schmidt, Reddick) 12:39, pp.

Penalties – Miller, Spo (slashing) 11:02; Koper, Spo (tripping) 11:44.

First overtime

9, Spo, Koper 3 (Valcourt, Kramer) 6:39.

Penalties – None.

Shots on goal by
Tri-City     12-8-8-2_30

Spokane     11-11-14-2_38

Goal (shots-saves) — Tri-City: Owsley (L, 6-4-0) 38-33; Spokane: Reid (W, 8-3-0) 30-26.

Power plays (goals-chances) — Tri-City 2-5, Spokane 0-1.

 Referees — Nathan Wieler, Derek Zalaski. Linesmen — Chris Carlson, Justin Hull.

Attendance – 6,083.

 Scratches – Tri-City: Chris Driedger, Clinton Atkinson, Marcus Messier, Max Moline. Spokane: Cole Hamblin, Marek Kalus, Brady Brassart, Reid Gow.

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