Dan Weaver

Brandon's Burke Henry (left) leans into Prince Albert's Shane Harris in the East finals. Photo by Keith Morison/Brandon Sun

The expansion Edmonton Ice is expected to use the first pick of today's Western Hockey League bantam draft on a defenseman from Trail, British Columbia. Stephen McCarthy is a 6-foot, 180-pound defenseman with leadership skills and toughness. Brandon Wheat Kings general manager Kelly McCrimmon called McCarthy a "great guy to start an expansion franchise with."

Tim Speltz, the WHL's Executive of the Year, is no longer just along for the ride. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review

The Spokane Chiefs will open the Western Hockey League championship finals Friday night at the Keystone Center in Brandon, Manitoba. The Chiefs and Brandon Wheat Kings play Game 1 of the best-of-seven series at 5:30 p.m. PDT. Game 2 in Brandon is Sunday afternoon at 12:30 PDT.

It wasn't much of a victory celebration Saturday night. What there was ended with a quick shower and an 8-hour bus ride in the early morning darkness through mountain, lake and river country back to Spokane. After the Spokane Chiefs unseated the Kamloops Blazers as champions of the Western Hockey League West Division, Darren Sinclair was as happy as anybody - happier in a way.

The footsteps you may be hearing are those of the Kamloops Blazers, sneaking back into the picture. Once down three games to none, the Blazers have closed to 3-2 in the Western Hockey League West Division finals. So who would you rather be heading into tonight's Game 6 in Kamloops? Ed Dempsey or Mike Babcock? Dempsey and the Blazers have the momentum. Babcock and the Spokane Chiefs still have the series lead.

1. Chiefs' Hugh Hamilton eats glass as he's slammed by Blazers' Ryan Rishaug. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Spokane celebrates John Cirjak's first-period goal. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

Kamloops celebrates its second goal of the game and forces a fifth game in the WHL West Division finals with a 6-5 win. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

Trent Whitfield. That takes care of the basics of the Spokane Chiefs' 6-5 claw-from-behind win Sunday night in Game 2 of the Western Hockey League West Division finals. Whitfield scored four goals, three that rescued the mistake-prone Chiefs and a fourth that set the stage for another bow by Darren Sinclair.

Jan Hrdina's no-look shot with 18.5 seconds left from the side of the net turned delirium to agony Saturday night in Riverside Coliseum. Hrdina's game-winner broke a brief tie and gave the Spokane Chiefs a 4-3 win in Game 1 of the Western Hockey League West Division finals before 5,622 stunned Kamloops Blazers fans. The sellout crowd had come to life with 32 seconds remaining when the Blazers Bob Maudie won a draw with Hrdina in the Chiefs zone. The puck came out to Jarome Iginla, whose shot got through the pads of Chiefs goaltender David Lemanowicz. The goal seemed to cap a third-period Blazers flurry and was still being announced and applauded when Hrdina broke through at the other end. "Dmitri Leonov kind of chipped it in," Hrdina said. "I caught it with my glove, put it down and just got around the defense. I was lucky." The puck appeared to glance off Randy Petruk's skate. "I wanted to keep it deep because with 18 seconds to go I didn't want to give them the opportunity to break out," Hrdina said. "I didn't even look. I just shot it to the net and it went in." So the Chiefs got what they came for Saturday night, a win in the opener of this best-of-7 series. With Game 2 here tonight at 6, the pressure has landed squarely on the Blazers, who have to go to Spokane for games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the latter if necessary. The Blazers had the tie and a date with overtime at home but it lasted only 14 seconds. "This is only my second year here but we're not a team that does that," Blazers center Shawn McNeil said. "This is the first time I've seen us give up a goal like that. We got too comfortable." Chiefs goaltender David Lemanowicz turned back 13 third-period shots and might have had a 14th if not for a mixup. Kamloops coach Ed Dempsey pulled Petruk for the extra attacker in the final minute. "We kind of screwed it up, the 6-on-5," Hrdina said. "I made a mistake so I wanted to do something." The ending was bizarre but the result was all too familiar to the Kamloops faithful who watched the Chiefs rebound from a 1-0 deficit to win again in Riverside Coliseum, a once formidable building that has become as cozy to the Chiefs as a second home. The Chiefs haven't lost in the Coliseum since Oct. 8, 1994. With goals by Leonov, Jason Podollan, Sean Gillam and Hrdina, the Chiefs pushed their unbeaten streak against the two-time defending Memorial Cup champion to 13 straight, covering two seasons.

Two teams which traded roles in the regular season carry different themes into tonight's Game 1 of the Western Hockey League West Division finals. For the Spokane Chiefs, it's validation. For the Kamloops Blazers, redemption. The Chiefs and Blazers will play the opener of their best-of-7 series in Kamloops' Riverside Coliseum at 7:30. Game 2 is Sunday at 6.

The Spokane Chiefs will open the Western Hockey League West Division finals Saturday and Sunday at either Kamloops, British Columbia, or Tri-City, depending on who survives tonight's fifth game of the division semifinals. The Tri-City Americans and Kamloops Blazers play the deciding game of their best-of-5 series tonight in Kamloops. The winner will host Spokane on Saturday and Sunday nights. Starting times are undetermined. Saturday's game won't be on KXLY Extra because of its commitment to Junior Bloomsday. If Tri-City is the opponent, Sunday's game will be on KXLY Extra (Cox Cable channel 14). No road-game television coverage is planned if Spokane plays Kamloops, Chiefs marketing director Dave Pier said. KXLY will carry Spokane's first two home games in the series. The Chiefs are in the Arena Tuesday and Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. If Game 5 is played, TV coverage will depend on ticket sales. A few tickets to Games 3 and 4 remained as of noon Wednesday - 350 for Tuesday and 700 for Wednesday, all $7 seats in the upper sections. Playing three games in as many weeknights here is not the greatest situation, but Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz is resigned to it. "Obviously we have some pressure on our building here, but it's used for more than just hockey," Speltz said. Spokane has a second-round bye in the playoffs for winning the regular-season division title.

1. Randy Favaro takes time after Tuesday afternoon's practice in Eagles Ice-A-Rena to refine his powerful slap shot. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review 2. Favaro listens to coach Mike Babcock as Chiefs prepare for next opponent. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

The Spokane Chiefs were back at practice Monday, awaiting the survivor of the Tri-City-Kamloops playoff, preparing to open their division championship series on the road. Normally, with home-ice advantage, a team plays two at home to open a seven-game series. But due to prior commitments at the Arena, the Chiefs will likely start in Tri-City or Kamloops this weekend. Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz said he's blaming no one.

The Muckleshoot Indian Tribe's announced plan to "save, preserve and help horse racing grow in Eastern Washington" is in the "due diligence" stage, the off-track betting manager at the tribe's Auburn, Wash., casino said. Phil Ziegler said much remains to be done before the tribe operates Playfair Race Course. By due diligence, Ziegler said he means the process of negotiation for a lease, the application for a license to operate the track and receiving race dates.

An average of more than 9,000 fans whooped it up at the Chiefs' four home games in the Arena against Poartland. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

Hugh Hamilton (3), Jason Podollan (17) and Joel Boschman celebrate Chiefs' second goal. Spokane overcame three-game deficit to win series. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

1. Derek Schutz's slap shot, already strong, should improve as the just-turned-17 rookie gains playing time. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review 2. (Photo of Derek Schutz)

A sellout crowd will witness a piece of junior hockey history Wednesday night in the Arena, when the Portland Winter Hawks and Spokane Chiefs settle their Western Hockey League West Division quarterfinal. The clubs will line up for Game Seven tied at three games apiece in this first-round series. Tickets were snapped up in a hurry Monday. More than 1,500 fans were lined up when the Chiefs' offices opened.

Chiefs 4, Winter Hawks 3 Midway through their two-overtime marathon, Portland's Chris Jacobson, left, and Sean Giliam of Spokane lock horns in front of David Lemanowicz and the Chiefs' goal. Photo by Shane Young/Special to The Spokesman-Review

An hour before the puck dropped Friday night, Brent Peterson sounded like a sandbagger. Three hours later, his words seemed more like prophecy. Before the Western Hockey League West Division quarterfinal resumed in the Arena with Game 5, the Portland Winter Hawks coach was guessing what it would take for his club to eliminate the Spokane Chiefs from the playoffs.

The star made a statement Friday night in the Arena. If the Portland Winter Hawks are going to eliminate the Spokane Chiefs, they're going to have to go through Jason Podollan to do it.

History beckons. Down three games to one in the West Division quarterfinals to the Portland Winter Hawks, the Spokane Chiefs pick up the chase of a Western Hockey League first tonight at the Arena. The Chiefs and the Winter Hawks play Game 5 of the Western Hockey League quarterfinals at 7. Tickets in all price ranges were available this morning.

Winter Hawks 6, Chiefs 4. Spokane goaltender David Lemanowicz (1) makes rare stop against Richard Zednik of Portland. Spokane's Adam Magarrell provides backup. Special to The Spokesman-Review