Cardarelli, Chiefs Stop Brandon
The Spokane Chiefs answered their worst game of the season with their best Saturday night in the Arena, surrendering the game’s first goal then storming back in the second period to thrash the defending Western Hockey League-champion Brandon Wheat Kings 6-1.
Joe Cardarelli’s five assists led an offense that exploded after a critical call by referee Mike Hasenfratz. Hasenfratz sent Spokane’s Trent Whitfield off for the night for a first-period checking from behind major and an accompanying game misconduct.
The call at 14:53 of the first period - booed for the remaining 5:07 by the Arena crowd of 9,052 - put the Wheat Kings on a score-at-will power play for 5 minutes with the game tied at 1.
Spokane’s penalty killers, led by Joel Boschman, snuffed the extended power play and the Chiefs escaped with a tie at intermission.
The Chiefs took advantage of a series of bewildering penalties by Brandon defenseman Johnathan Aitken. Aitken picked up four minors in the second period. Three times he watched from the box as the Chiefs scored power-play goals in rapid succession.
The first, the game-winner, came just 1:14 into the second period off the tape off Derek Schutz. Forty-two seconds later, with Aitken off for unsportsmanlike conduct, Greg Leeb scored on the power play to make it 2-1.
John Cirjak’s second goal of the night - with Aitken off for high-sticking - came 4:18 into the period. At that point the Chiefs had scored on 4 of 6 power-play opportunities and the rout was on.
Out-shooting the Wheat Kings 42-22, the Chiefs retained first place in the WHL West at 11-5-1. Brandon fell to 11-8. , DataTimes