Chiefs Surge, Net Win Podollan’s Hat Trick Lifts Torrid Spokane To Seventh Straight

Jason Podollan scored three goals in the third period and the Spokane Chiefs won their seventh straight game, a 5-4 come-from-behind victory in Centrium Arena, Friday night.

Trailing 4-2 after two periods and only able to muster 13 shots on goal, it looked like the Chiefs (18-28-1) were headed for their first loss in nearly two weeks.

That’s when Podollan took over.

He needed just 1:13 to pull the Chiefs within a two goals when his slapshot from the right circle beat Rebels goaltender Mike Whitney.

He was back at it less than 3 minutes later, this time smacking a slap shot from the left circle past Whitney, knotting the score 4-4.

Podollan saved his best for last.

Greg Leeb found Podollan at midice and the 18-year-old center would do the rest, neatly tucking a backhander high into the net.

The game-winner gave Podollan 29 goals for the season and 95 for his career, putting him within a goal of tying Maxim Bets for seventh on the Chiefs’ career scoring list.

Despite facing a season-low 21 shots, the Chiefs struggled early.

Pete Vandemeer knocked in a rebound at 7:09 of the first and Jay Henderson put the Rebels (11-33-2) in front 2-0 with a second-period tally at 3:03 before John Cirjak finally got the Chiefs on the board at 7:42.

Cirjak’s goal made it 2-1, but the Rebels’ Aaron Asham tipped in a Henderson shot at 11:37 of the second and Jess Wallin followed with a slap shot at 18:17. Sean Gillam scored at 18:45 for the Chiefs to make it 4-2.

The win was Spokane’s fourth in a row on the road, including the last three on the current trip, and only the third in 20 tries for the Chiefs when trailing after two periods.