Roles’ Flair For Dramatic Leads Chiefs Defenseman Scores Two Late Goals

Scott Roles is not only a late starter, he’s a late finisher.

The 20-year-old defenseman, who was a rookie at 18 and is in his third and last season in the Western Hockey League, scored goals in the final seconds of the first and second periods Friday night to spark the Spokane Chiefs to a 4-1 win over the Portland Winter Hawks.

Roles, whom the Chiefs acquired from the Kootenay Ice and is enjoying a career year, broke a scoreless tie with 10 seconds left in the first period. Moving down the slot, he took a pass from Brent McDonald and picked the stick side on Portland goalie Jason LaBarbera with Spokane’s 17th shot.

While LaBarbera stood the Chiefs on their ear the first 20 minutes, Spokane goalie Tyler MacKay faced just four shots. But one was crucial. He denied Michael Kiesman on a breakaway.

Spokane was dominating, but nursing a 2-1 lead when Roles got dramatic again. With 13 seconds left in the second period, Roles picked the high, stick-side corner on LaBarbera.

It was the career-high eighth goal of the season for Roles, who was named to the WHL West All-Star team on Wednesday.

Tim Smith and Mason Wallin also scored for Spokane, which is 7-0 against Portland and has earned a standings point in 14 straight games to increase its WHL West lead to nine points. Dean Beuker scored his 10th goal, on a power play, for Portland.

Chiefs 4 Winter Hawks 1 Today: Tri-City at Spokane, 7 p.m., at the Arena Radio: 920 AM, pregame at 6 p.m.