Time: Tonight in the Coliseum at 7.

Records: Spokane (24-33-1), Tacoma (34-23-2).

Radio: KGA-AM (1510) 6 p.m. Chiefs Talk with Craig West, 6:20 Mike Babcock Show, 6:50 pre-game.

Tickets: $9.50 and $7.50 with seats in the blue sections discounted to $6.50 for seniors, military, children under 14 and students with I.D.

Key players

Spokane: C Jason Podollan (38 goals, 28 assists), GK Jarrod Daniel (3.71 goals-against), D Sean Gillam (14, 39), RW John Cirjak (16, 30), LW Greg Leeb (18, 27), RW Jeremy Stasiuk (19, 23), Joe Cardarelli (21, 19) LW Kevin Sawyer (5, 6), C Darren Sinclair (12, 16).

Tacoma: RW Vaclav Varada (41 goals, 32 assists), LW John Varga (32, 42), RW Marty Flichel (23, 45), GK Todd MacDonald (3.18 goals against), RW Tavis Hansen (27, 37), D Dallas Thompson (7, 9), C Jason Deleurme (21, 21), Kyle McLaren (11, 9).

At a glance

Chiefs took Monday off (“We needed to be away from each other for awhile,” coach Mike Babcock said) to recover from Sunday night’s 6-1 homeice whipping from Prince Albert. “There are nights when you’re the teacher and nights when you’re the student,” Babcock said. “There’s no question what we were.”

Chiefs veterans will try to get back in the coach’s good graces tonight in a game that probably means more to the Rockets, who’re trying to shake off Seattle in the mad scramble for second in the WHL West. The loser of that battle, the eventual third-place finisher, will be paired with Kamloops and the No. 6 team - probably Portland - in the first round of the playoffs. The No. 2 team joins the fourth and fifth-place clubs - Tri-City and Spokane right now - in the round-robin format. Two teams are eliminated in the first round, one from each pool.

Before Sunday night’s loss, Chiefs were among the hottest clubs in the WHL. The tough part of the February schedule is in motion - this one, two games with Kamloops home and away and stops in Seattle and Tri-City.