Rockets Drain Power From Chiefs’ Play

The Spokane Chiefs had the Tacoma Rockets right where they wanted them Wednesday night in the Coliseum - shorthanded with 1:45 remaining.

But in a Western Hockey League game of playoff intensity - with both goaltenders on fire - the Rockets turned opportunity into a Chiefs disaster.

With Tacoma’s Kyle McLaren in the penalty box for cross-checking, the Chiefs went on the power play.

But the Tacoma penalty-killing unit intercepted the puck at center ice from Spokane’s Greg Leeb. The puck was bounced to Marty Flichel, who put it on the tape of Tyler Prosofsky’s stick. Prosofsky’s deflection with 30 seconds remaining found the back of the net for a 1-0 Tacoma victory.

The short-handed goal put a positive spin on what had been a frustrating night in the Coliseum for Prosofsky.

“I think I hit three posts earlier in the game,” Prosofsky said. “Leeb turned it over at center ice, Marty picked it up and I drove to the net with a guy on my back. Marty tossed it across and I chipped it over Daniel’s pad and under his blocker.”

The Rockets (39-25-2) won their fourth straight and took the season series with Spokane 6-2. Six of the eight games were decided by a single goal.

“Great game to win and a tough one to lose,” Tacoma coach Marcel Comeau said. “We’re happy to get the two points and get out of Dodge.”

In its three previous years in the league, Tacoma has faltered late in the season. But the Rockets find themselves 3-0 this month. It’s only the second time Tacoma has won as many as three games in March.

The Chiefs, 16-10-2 since Jan. 1, outshot the Rockets 39-31.

“It may be the best game of goaltending I’ve seen at both ends of the rink,” Comeau said. “Daniel (Spokane’s Jarrod) was exceptional and MacDonald (Tacoma’s Todd) was too - particularly early, when he kept us in and gave us a chance.”

Spokane appeared to score at 13:05 of the third period when Jeremy Stasiuk’s onetimer from the top of the faceoff circle squirted through MacDonald’s pads.

The goal light went on and 3,809 came alive. But MacDonald retrieved the puck before it crossed the goal line - or so referee Steve LeMay ruled.

“He was positioned right where he should have been,” Comeau said. “He had a good view and decided it wasn’t in. It’s a tough call against the hometown team at that stage of the game. I give him credit.”

Spokane coach Mike Babcock shrugged off the whole thing.

“We got away from what we do well - running people over and going to the net hard,” Babcock said. “We showed once again that we’re not a mature team. We had a plan and didn’t stick to it. I thought it was a game we could have buried.”

MacDonald said he fished Stasiuk’s apparent goal out in time.

“I knew it got through - it hit the top of my stick,” MacDonald said. “I took a glance behind me and at least a quarter of the puck was across the line. So I had to hurry to get it out of there.”

Stasiuk, who had scored five goals in his last six games, thought the shot should have counted.

“The goal judge thought it went in,” Stasiuk said. “The ref didn’t. What can you do?”

It was MacDonald’s third career shutout.

The Chiefs (27-36-3) have six regular-season games left, four against last-place Prince George. Spokane left for Prince George shortly after the game. The Chiefs will try to nail fifth place at Prince George on Friday night without right wing Jay Bertsch.

Bertsch is expected to miss a week with a hip-pointer that developed after Sunday night’s win at Portland.