Spokane Chiefs At Swift Current

Time: Tonight at 5:30 in Centennial Civic Centre.

Records: Spokane (29-13-3), Swift Current Bronocs (23-21-3).

Radio: KGA-AM (1510) 4:30 p.m. Hockey Tonight with Craig West. Chiefs coach Mike Babcock 4:50 (approximate).

Key players: Spokane: RW Jason Podollan (20 goals, 12 assists), LW Joe Cardarelli (12, 9), C Trent Whitfield (21, 37), D Sean Gillam (7, 34), C Darren Sinclair (23, 31), D Hugh Hamilton (5, 36), LW Dmitri Leonov (21, 33), LW Greg Leeb (27, 14), RW John Cirjak (19, 24), GK David Lemanowicz (3.01 goals-against), RW Jay Bertsch (10, 13).

Swift Current: C Josh St. Louis (34 goals, 35 assists), LW Brad Larsen (25, 32), D Craig Millar (17, 34), GK Terry Friesen (3.68 goals-against), C Jeff Kirwan (11, 20), RW Tyler Willis (8, 37), D Brent Sopel (11, 28), LW Sergei Varlomov (18, 16).

At a glance: It’s the first of three games in three nights for the Chiefs in the frigid Alberta prairies, where Wednesday the temperature dropped to a reported 40 below. “It’s even cold in bed,” coach Mike Babcock said, shivering over the phone. Cardarelli is staying warm scoring goals - he has a half-dozen in the last three games. Wednesday night’s 7-4 win at Red Deer featured other hot hands as well. When the Chiefs looked for leadership after a rocky start, Sinclair gave them 11 finished checks in the second period. Derek Schutz went coast-to-coast in the second period, splitting the defense and scoring unassisted. LW Kris Graf of Edmonton, playing in front of friends and family, got a chance to start something other than a fight. He got his first WHL start in Red Deer and played well, Babcock said. Chiefs nudged Broncos 4-3 in Spokane on Dec. 13 with Whitfield scoring a pair of goals. Rookie defenseman Brad Ference joined the Chiefs for their game in Calgary and may see futher action as the Chiefs play Swift tonight, Medicine Hat on Saturday night and Lethbridge Sunday night. Swift Current is 5-4 since Christmas break, with Millar scoring four goals in as many games. Friesen is one of the East/Central Division goaltenders in Tuesday night’s all-star game.

, DataTimes