Sinclair Is Chiefs’ Main Man In Victory Over Moose Jaw

The Spokane Chiefs got the gamewinning goal from Darren Sinclair for the second straight night, this time in a 6-4 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors in a Western Hockey League game Saturday.

The goal came at the 14:22 mark of the third period when he redirected a pass from Dmitri Leonov and slid it on the ice past surprised Moose Jaw goalie Devon Hanson.

Sinclair has three goals in his last two games. He had the game-winner in an 8-6 victory over Brandon Friday night.

Moose Jaw took an early 1-0 lead when Curtis Brown, who was sent back to the Warriors two weeks ago after starting the season with the Buffalo Sabres, tucked a puck inside the right pipe at 5:54 of the first quarter.

Spokane then erupted to score four goals in the same period. Two of those goals came in a period of 21 seconds.

In the scoring flury, Leonov got his third goal in two games. He scored on a three-on-two break and ripped home a slap shot from the left circle. The Chiefs’ Jason Podollan also got his third goal in two games in that period.

The Chiefs outshot the Warriors 23-10 in the first period.

Moose Jaw battled back and tied the score at 4-4 when Brown scored at the 8:11 mark of the third period. But that proved to be the final goal for Moose Jaw on the night.

Spokane is at Regina tonight.

Spokane 6, Moose Jaw 4

Spokane 4 0 2 - 6

Moose Jaw 1 2 1 - 4

First period - 1, Moose Jaw, Brown 5 (Higgins, P.Johnson), 5:54 (pp). 2, Spokane, Leonov 9 (Sinclair, Hamilton), 10:30. 3, Spokane, Whitfield 14, 12:59 (pp). 4, Spokane, Haley 2 (Hamilton, Schutz), 17:26. 5, Spokane, Podollan 11 (Leonov, Shockey), 17:47 (pp). Key penalties - Schutz, Spo, 5:19; Twerdun, MJ, 11:59; Maillet, MJ, 17:37.

Second period - 6, Moose Jaw, Tipler 4 (Laplante), 10:37. 7, Moose Jaw, Brown 6, 17:32. Key penalties - None.

Third period - 8, Moose Jaw, Brown 7, 8:11. 9, Spokane, Sinclair 8 (Leonov, Haley), 14:22. 10, Spokane, Leeb 16 (Sinclair), 19:40 (en). Key penalties - Shockey, Spo, 16:36; Hamilton, Spo, 18:32.

Power-play opp. - Spokane 2 of 7; Moose Jaw 1 of 8.Saves - Spokane, Lemanowicz 9-10-16-35. Moose Jaw, Hanson 19-4-7-30.A - 2,200.