Canada’s Thanksgiving Could Bring Chiefs A Feast

The Kamloops Blazers usually aren’t in the market for tips. They can afford to keep their own counsel. They’ve ruled junior hockey in North America for the last two years.

But the Blazers might consider petitioning the Western Hockey League for another Thanksgiving Day opponent.

They’ve seen enough of the Spokane Chiefs.

Kamloops annually treats its fans to a Thanksgiving Day game. Canada observes Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October.

For the last six years Spokane has been at Kamloops on that day.

Last year, the Chiefs shocked the Blazers 5-2 on Canada’s Thanksgiving Day, ending Kamloops’ 33-game home-ice win streak.

The Chiefs did it again Monday, beating Kamloops 4-3. The Chiefs are in Portland tonight after goaltender David Lemanowicz served up a steady diet of rejection in Kamloops.

Since struggling in the Chiefs’ first two games, Lemanowicz has a 2.5 goals-against average in his last four games - all wins - with a .917 saves percentage.

“Dave Lemanowicz was the guy,” Chiefs coach Mike Babcock said. “He gave us the opportunity to be successful with good saves.”

Pass some of that credit to Babcock himself, who’s 4-3-2 against Kamloops since taking the Spokane job in April, 1994.

The Chiefs were without captain and top defenseman Sean Gillam, who’s out with a pulled groin muscle. Gillam’s availability was uncertain on Tuesday.

Assistant captain Jay Bertsch stepped up with his best game of the year, Babcock said.

What Babcock didn’t mention is what the Chiefs did with the Captain’s C in Gillam’s absence.

They handed it to Jason Podollan, who responded with a superb game.

In that respect the coaches might have taken a cue from what Tri-City didn’t do.

When Terry Ryan returned to Tri-City from the Montreal Canadiens, he skated with a second line, and without the Captain’s C on his shirt.

Why, after the all-star year Ryan had last season? TriCity coach Bob Loucks might have felt protective of the players who stepped up in Ryan’s absence from training camp. Whatever the reason, Ryan was flat in his first game back.

Podollan, meanwhile, responded to the welcome-back gesture of the C by turning in a superb game.

“It’s good to get the win, with the tradition they have,” Babcock said, “but we didn’t play as well as we’d like.”A highwater mark of progress is winning in Kamloops with something other than your best.”I thought we tensed up a little bit in the third period,” Babcock said. “We weren’t as happy about the last 10 minutes as we might have been.”But we did do some good things, no question. It takes good effort to win at Kamloops.”

Notes

The Chiefs put the halt on Kamloops’ Bob Maudie. The Blazers center had at least one goal in each of his first six games before the Chiefs shut him out Monday…. Left wing Greg Leeb has four goals in his last three games…. The Chiefs are averaging 6,985 after three games in the Arena, where they’re 3-0 and have out-scored the opposition 17-7…. Since Portland center Todd Robinson opened the season with a hat trick, he’s gone five straight games without a goal…. The Kelowna Rockets are making headway on their dreaded eastern swing. They’ve won three of four against the WHL East…. The Moose Jaw Warriors will have trouble living up to pre-season expectations after losing three 19-year-old left wingers to the NHL Curtis Brown (Buffalo), Ryan Smyth (Edmonton) and Roman Vopat (St. Louis). The three combined for 115 goals with the Warriors last year…. Kamloops lost right wing Shane Doan to his NHL club, the Winnipeg Jets. Doan had 3 assists in his first two NHL games…. Kamloops has lost defenseman Jake Deadmarsh to a broken arm, suffered in a game at Prince George…. In case it escaped notice, the Tri-City Americans will be without Daymond Langkow, last year’s WHL scoring champ, who signed with NHL Tampa Bay for $2.4 million over 3 years.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: SPOKANE CHIEFS AT PORTLAND Time: Tonight at 7 in Memorial Coliseum Records: Spokane (5-1), Portland (2-4). Radio: KGA-AM (1510) 6 p.m. Hockey Tonight with Craig West. Mike Babcock Show 6:20, Portland coach Brent Peterson, 6:40. Spokane: D Sean Gillam (1 goal, 7 assists), C Darren Sinclair (4, 4), C Trent Whitfield (4, 5), C/RW Jason Podollan (1, 0), LW Joe Cardarelli (4, 5), LW Greg Leeb (4, 0), GK David Lemanowicz (2.92 goals-against), RW John Cirjak (4,4), D Hugh Hamilton (1, 4), RW Randy Favaro (2, 4), RW Jay Bertsch (1, 2). Portland: RW Richard Zednik (3 goals, 5 assists), RW Brad Isbister (5, 9), GK Scott Rideout (4.33 goals-against), C Dave Scatchard (6, 4), C/RW Matt Davidson (2, 3), C Todd Robinson (3, 5), LW Colin Forbes (2, 6), D Paul Ference (1, 2). At a glance: The Winter Hawks had trouble matching up with the Chiefs in their first meeting here last week. It won’t be any easier tonight; Podollan wasn’t in the Chiefs’ lineup when Spokane beat Portland here. Podollan gives Spokane the luxury of a veteran goal-scorer who’s just about ready for the NHL. But the go-power so far hasn’t been the superstar as much as the balance. Chiefs’ fourth line - Derek Schutz, Martin Cerven and Mike Haley - came up big in Monday’s win at Kamloops, illustrative of how far down the lineup coach Mike Babcock can go for production. Forwards aren’t the only threats. Defenseman Joel Boschman’s first goal of the year Monday was big. Numbers crunchers will like this: GK Lemanowicz not only lowered his goals-against average to less than 3.00, his saves percentage jumped to .901. Whitfield’s consecutive-game scoring streak was stopped at five at Kamloops but look for the quickest Chief to start another streak before heading home for Saturday night’s Spokane-Kamloops rematch in the Arena. He’s had 3-point nights in three of Spokane’s first six games.