Hitmen Rally, Top Chiefs

Sun., Feb. 20, 2000

The Spokane Chiefs had the Calgary Hitmen on the ropes Saturday night at the Canadian Airlines Saddledome, but they couldn’t deliver the knockout punch.

Calgary, the Western Hockey League’s top team, rallied from a two-goal deficit with three unanswered goals to post a 3-2 victory over the Western Division-leading Chiefs.

The loss, coupled with Prince George’s 4-3 victory over Moose Jaw, cuts the Chiefs’ lead to two points.

Tim Smith gave Spokane a 1-0 lead at the 7:54 mark of the first period with his 22nd goal of the season. Brandin Cote assisted on the power-play score.

Derek Schutz banged in his 23rd goal of the year on an assist from Scott Roles to put the Chiefs up 2-0 just 5:23 into the second period.

The Hitmen, who lead the Central Division, knotted the score over a 2:26 span midway through the period.

Kris Beech connected for his 26th goal to halve Spokane’s lead at the 14:08 mark, and Pavel Brendl scored his league-leading 51st goal to pull Calgary even at 16:34.

Spokane goalie Tyler MacKay deserved a better fate in the third period.

Beech scored what proved to be the game-winner with 2:39 left to play. His 27th goal came when he passed the puck out from behind the net and it deflected off the skate of a Chiefs players and trickled over the goal line.

The Hitmen, 48-9-1-1 for the season, hold a 19-point lead over the Kootenay Ice in their division. They won both games with the Chiefs this year.

The Chiefs concluded their four-game road trip with a 2-2 record. They return home to play host to the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday.

Hitmen 3, Chiefs 2

Spokane 1 1 0 - 2

Calgary 0 2 1 - 3

First period- 1, Spokane, Smith 22 (Cote), 7:54 (pp). Key penalties-Nielsen, Cal, 7:23; Sarich, Cal 8:06; Schutz, Spo, 12:25; Rossiter, Spo, 14:25; Brendl, Cal, 16:20.

Second period- 2, Spokane, Schutz 23 (Roles), 5:23. 3, Calgary, Beech 26 (Kinch, Nielsen), 14:08 (pp). 4, Calgary, Brendl 51 (Nielsen), 16:34. Key penalties-Farr, Spo, 5:41; Nielsen, Cal, 6:33; Thorpe, Spo, 11:47; Farr, Spo, 12:37.

Third period- 5, Calgary, Beech 27 (Petinger, Kinch), 17:21. Key penalties-none Power-play opp.-Spokane 1 of 5; Calgary 1 of 5. Saves-Spokane, MacKay 7-14-10- 31. Calgary, Stana 9-6-6- 21.

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Hitmen Rally, Top Chiefs

Jesse Tinsley

Jim Meehan

Molly Quinn

Rob Curley

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