Chiefs Dump Pesky Kamloops

The Spokane Chiefs took care of another little business item Saturday night, solving the riddle of the Kamloops Blazers.

The Blazers, fighting to stay out of last in the Western Hockey League West but impressive against Spokane with a win and a tie in two previous meetings, had that modest success reversed in the Arena.

Trent Whitfield scored two goals and assisted Greg Leeb on the game-winner in Spokane’s 4-1 win - the Chiefs’ 10th against three losses and a tie - before 8,360.

The Chiefs, who built their West Division lead to three points over the struggling Prince George Cougars, close out a busy weekend with their fourth game in five nights tonight at 6 in Seattle.

The win was decisive but a long time in developing. The Blazers dominated early, firing 13 shots at Chiefs goaltender Marc Magliarditi while Spokane could put only four shots on Kamloops goaltender Clayton Pool, an 18-year-old making his first WHL start.

But two of those four found the mark.

Marian Cisar caught the Blazers on a line change to score on the breakaway on a feed from Hugh Hamilton just 52 seconds into the game.

It was Cisar’s ninth goal of the season, one fewer than team-leader Whitfield, who notched his ninth and 10th.

Kamloops tied it at 1 on Ajay Baines’ power-play goal, but the Chiefs regained the lead 55 seconds later when their own power play clicked.

A sliding Greg Leeb rebounded Trent Whitfield’s shot from the right circle to finish a 2-on-1 break. Pool got to the first shot but couldn’t stop the rebound.