Spokane Chiefs At Kamlooops Blazers

Faceoff: Tonight at 7:30 in Riverside Coliseum

Records: Spokane (12-5-1), Kamloops (6-12-1)

Radio: KGA-AM (1510) 6:30 p.m. Hockey Tonight with Craig West. Chiefs coach Mike Babcock 6:50 (approximate).

Key players: Spokane: C Trent Whitfield (12 goals, 18 assists), C/RW John Cirjak (11, 16), LW Greg Leeb (7, 16), D Hugh Hamilton (5, 12), LW Joe Cardarelli (5, 17), RW Marian Cisar (10, 7), GK Marc Magliarditi (2.77 goals against), LW Jay Bertsch (3, 1), D Adam Magarrell (1, 3). Kamloops: C Donnie Kinney (13 goals, 15 assists), C Ajay Baines (9, 11), C Shawn McNeil (8, 7), D Chris St. Croix (3, 12), GK Randy Petruk (3.75 goals-against), LW Rob Skrlac (2, 2, 61 penalty minutes).

At a glance: They’re not happy in Title Town, where the Blazers are in a different race. Instead of their customary fight for the West Division championship, Kamloops is trying to stay out of last. One problem is lack of success at home, where the Blazers are 3-6-1. Special teams are sub-par as well (Kamloops is 19 percent on the power play, 75 percent on the penalty kill). Chiefs are coming off their best weekend, having won two games by a combined score of 12-1. Tough guy Kris Graf has found himself in coach Mike Babcock’s doghouse. Graf was sent home to Edmonton for a repeat violation of team curfew. Chiefs GM Tim Speltz said he hopes the question of Graf’s future with the club can be cleared up in a week to 10 days.

, DataTimes