Spokane Chiefs At Seattle

Time: Tonight at 7:05 in Seattle Arena.

Records: Spokane (7-2-0), Seattle Thunderbirds (3-7-0).

Radio: KGA-AM (1510) 6 p.m. Hockey Tonight with Craig West. Chiefs coach Mike Babcock 6:20, Seattle coach Don Nachbaur 6:40.

Key players: Spokane: C Trent Whitfield (9 goals, 12 assists), RW Randy Favaro (5, 10), LW Greg Leeb (8, 3), D Sean Gillam (2, 8), C Darren Sinclair (4, 6), D Hugh Hamilton (2, 9), RW John Cirjak (5, 7), GK David Lemanowicz (3.81 goals-against), RW Jay Bertsch (1, 2).

Seattle: C/RW Jan Hrdina (4 goals, 10 assists), C Blair Manning (5, 8), GK Doug Bonner (3.66 goals-against), D Michal Divisek (2, 6), C Patrick Marleau (5, 2), RW Paul Ferone (4, 1), D Drew Palmer (0, 2).

At a glance: Chiefs are on the road after Wednesday night’s entertaining if not technically perfect 5-4 overtime win over Portland. The roster was trimmed by two this week when left wing Andrew Milne was sent back to St. Albert, Alberta, and defenseman Rob Sandrock was put on hold. Sandrock, 17, is a potentially valuable offensive defenseman who could eventually quarterback the Chiefs power play. But not this year. Question is, will he wait another year for his shot here or ask to move on to another WHL club. Stay tuned. This is the Chiefs’ last appearance in the Seattle Arena, built in 1962. The T-Birds move across the Seattle Center into the remodeled Coliseum on Oct. 30. After a slow start, the T-Birds have come on with wins in two of their last three on the road. Manning is on a six-game scoring streak. Seattle RW Dan Tompkins is out indefinitely with a broken ankle. Spokane is without LW Joe Cardarelli for the same reason. Chiefs do the WHL 3-step this weekend. After tonight’s game, they’re back home to play Tri-City on Saturday night and the Saskatoon Blades on Sunday night.

, DataTimes