Spokane Chiefs At Red Deer

Time: Tonight at 6:30 in the Centrium.

Records: Spokane (28-13-3), Red Deer Rebels (16-24-4).

Radio: KGA-AM (1510) 5:30 p.m. Hockey Tonight with Craig West. Chiefs coach Mike Babcock 6:05.

Key players: Spokane: RW Jason Podollan (20 goals, 11 assists), C Trent Whitfield (21, 36), D Sean Gillam (7, 32), C Darren Sinclair (21, 30), D Hugh Hamilton (5, 35), LW Joe Cardarelli (11, 9), LW Dmitri Leonov (21, 33), LW Greg Leeb (26, 13), RW John Cirjak (19, 23), GK David Lemanowicz (2.94 goals-against), RW Jay Bertsch (9, 13).

Red Deer: RW B.J. Young (30 goals, 21 assists), C Greg Schmidt (27, 22), LW Mike Broda (5, 8), LW Pete Vandermeer (11, 27), C Jon Zukiwsky (13, 14), D Jesse Wallin (3, 16), D Lloyd Shaw (0, 1, 121 penalty minutes), C Arron Asham (15, 25), GK Chris Wickenheiser (4.49 goals-against).

At a glance: Rebels, 1-0 with the Chiefs, can sweep this two-game series for the first time in Red Deer’s four WHL seasons. “They embarrassed us at home (a 4-3 Red Deer win Jan. 3),” Chiefs coach Mike Babcock said. “They scored on the opportunities we gave them. I thought we dominated but didn’t score, and didn’t work very hard.” Working on a four-game win streak, Spokane can take sole possession of the West lead with a win and a little help from Seattle, where co-leading Kamloops plays the Thunderbirds. Sinclair, who had a rare minus night in the plus/minus category in the Jan. 3 game, will want to amend that. Gillam and Adam Maggrell are also looking for better outings this time around. Chiefs may have to do without RW Randy Favaro, whose shoulder injury may keep him out through this five-game road swing. Chiefs will have to be active on the penalty kill. Rebels have scored on 10 of their last 26 power plays, with Schmidt quarterbacking it from the point.

, DataTimes