Maxwell Stays Unbeaten Against Chiefs Spokane Outshoots Hurricanes, But Visitors Take Advantage Of Penalties In 4-4 Tie

The tie wasn’t exactly like kissing your sister to Bryan Maxwell.

It means he still hasn’t lost in two trips to Spokane since he left the Chiefs in a midseason huff four years ago.

Maxwell’s Lethbridge Hurricanes salvaged a 4-4 draw in overtime, a game the Chiefs played well enough to win. They outshot the Canes 39-24. They had a 3-0 shot advantage in the 5-minute sudden-death OT. They went with a lot of young players, some of whom may be destined for other places this year.

Spokane coach Mike Babcock said he would trim his roster of 28 players today.

But the Hurricanes played the perfect road game, staying out of the penalty box and jumping all over opportunity.

One big chance they cashed in on was a gift from referee Chris Rooney. It led to a 5-on-3 power play in the second period that Shane Willis turned into a goal on a slap shot from the top of the left circle.

Willis tied the score at 2 at that point, 9:05 into the second period.

Thirty-one seconds earlier, Rooney had sent Spokane’s Brandin Cote off for high-sticking, handed out matching roughs and misconducts to Spokane’s Regan Darby and Lethbridge’s Chad Kletzel, then tacked on a roughing call that sent the Chiefs’ Joel Boschman to the box as well.

It left Babcock with a “No comment - I get fined if I talk about the officiating,” but 5,104 in the Arena let Rooney know what they thought of the Boschman penalty.

Late in the third period, Spokane’s Marian Cisar was hauled down in front of the net but Rooney let play go on. The replay suggested that Cisar was mugged and should have drawn the call.

But carping at the referee doesn’t take away from what the Hurricanes are doing on the road. They whipped Tri-City on Tuesday night, then salvaged the tie here to remain on top in the Western Hockey League Central at 7-4-1.

“Every time I look up at that banner (the Chiefs’ ‘91 Memorial Cup championship banner) I get a thrill,” said Maxwell, who coached the Chiefs to that junior hockey high. “This year we were pretty much picked for last. I guess they’ll have to turn the paper upside down to see where we really are.

Spokane’s Ty Jones extended his sco ing streak to 11 games as the Chiefs went to 7-3-1. They earned a point for the tie and continue to lead the WHL West heading into Friday night’s Arena date with Tri-City.

Marc Brown’s third-period goal pulled the Chiefs into the 4-4 tie.

The Hurricanes had won six straight when they carried a lead into the third period. They were leading 4-3 when Brown scored just as Spokane’s power play was expiring.

Cisar saw his consecutive-game scoring streak end at 10.

The Canes jumped on top early when Shaun Sutter found himself alone in front of the net while Darby and Lethbridge’s Marek Ivan were wrestling on the ice. Sutter beat Chiefs rookie goaltender Shaun Fleming.

Fleming, in his first start, slammed the door from there, giving the Chiefs time to tie it on Curtis Suter’s breakaway goal late in the period.

Chiefs 4, Hurricanes 4

Lethbridge 1 3 0 0 - 4

Spokane 1 2 1 0 - 4

First period-1, Lethbridge, Sutter 6 (Borders, Ivan), 2:31. 2, Spokane, Suter 2 (Grimard, Ference), 18:20. Key penalties-Boyd, Let, 3:16; Cisar, Spo, 4:04; Rushmer, Let, 8:55; Darby, Spo, 16:01.

Second period-3, Spokane, Jones 7 (Ference, Whitfield), 2:37. 4, Lethbridge, Willis 5 (Hegberg, Smith), 9:05 (pp). 5, Lethbridge, Hegberg 7 (Strain), 11:46. 6, Spokane, Jones 8 (Whitfield, Leeb), 15:09 (pp). 7, Lethbridge, Hegberg 8 (Smith, Theoret), 16:05 (pp). Key penalties-Bellmore, Spo, 5:45; Boschman, Spo, 8:34; Cote, Spo, 8:34; Sutter, Let, 13:08; Suter, Spo, 15:46; Theoret, Let, 17:23.

Third period-8, Spokane, Brown 3 (Ference, Cote), 4:48. Key penalties- Kemp, Let, 2:32; Ference, Spo, 13:02.

Overtime-None. Key penalties-None.

Power-play opp.-Lethbridge 2 of 7; Spokane 1 of 5. Saves-Lethbridge, Hoople 13-10-9-3-35. Spokane, Fleming 9-7-4-0-20. A-5,104.

, DataTimes