Kamloops At Spokane Chiefs

Time: Tonight at 7:05 in the Arena.

Records: Spokane (26-13-3), Kamloops Blazers (27-12-1).

Radio: KGA-AM (1510) 6:05 p.m. Hockey Tonight with Craig West. Chiefs coach Mike Babcock 6:25.

Key players: Spokane: RW Jason Podollan (20 goals, 9 assists), C Trent Whitfield (20, 35), D Sean Gillam (7, 32), C Darren Sinclair (20, 29), D Hugh Hamilton (5, 33), LW Dmitri Leonov (21, 32), Greg Leeb (26, 13), RW John Cirjak (19, 20), RW Randy Favaro (12, 22), GK David Lemanowicz (3.06 goals-against), RW Jay Bertsch (7, 13).

Kamloops: RW Jarome Iginla (35 goals 33 assists), D/C Aaron Keller (13, 48), D Jason Holland (10, 13), D Brad Lukowich (6, 34), GK Randy Petruk (3.56 goals-against), C Bob Maudie (27, 40).

At a glance: Kamloops makes the tough turnaround with the long bus ride here after a Friday night home date with the Kelowna Rockets. Nolan Baumgartner and forward Hnat Domenichelli, the league’s leading scorer much of the season, weren’t scheduled to make this trip. They’ve got time off after their World Junior Tournament commitments. Iginla, a star at the world tournament, will be in the lineup, however. Scoring pop has come of late from Keller, after his move from defense to center. But since Mike Babcock took over as Chiefs coach prior to the 1994-95 season, Spokane has been the nemesis on Kamloops’ schedule. The Chiefs ran the Blazers out of the Arena on Dec. 17. The coach has an explanation. “Sometimes good luck is better than good management,” he says. Self-deprecation aside, Babcock’s discipline is part of the magic. GK Lemanowicz took another step to the sub-.300 goals-against average in Wednesday night’s 4-2 win over Seattle. With first place in the West a four-team, running gun battle, it’s an important home game, the last until Jan. 24.

, DataTimes