Chiefs’ skid reaches six games

The Spokane Chiefs continue to look for answers.

Spokane fell to the Red Deer Rebels 4-2 on Tuesday night in Western Hockey League play at the Arena before a season-low crowd of 3,341. The loss was the sixth straight for the team.

This time, Spokane’s effort was a bit better than Saturday night’s (in a loss to Tri-City), but the Chiefs once again came out on the short end. If you’re looking for a bright spot, they scored.

After the game, they held a closed-door meeting as they prepared to hit the road for a game tonight at Kelowna. Things don’t get any easier for teams on a bad streak in the WHL.

“Our leaders aren’t leading, myself included, but if we start to do that, hopefully the young guys will step up and follow us,” said Chiefs center Chad Klassen. “But, if we don’t do that, we aren’t going to be very successful.”

To make matters worse, the goalie that beat them on the other side is one for whom they traded for last season – then let go before this season. Gerry Festa, 20, was outstanding in net while making 37 saves.

“I don’t think about those things (playing against his former team) while preparing for the game,” said Festa. “But, afterward it does make the win a little sweeter.”

The Chiefs tried changing up some things to end the skid, giving Derek Ryan the night off and giving goaltender Kevin Opsahl a chance to make his debut since being acquired from Portland. It’s a tall task to ask a guy playing his first game in five weeks to be the stopper, but Opsahl played well in making 29 saves.

“It’s pretty tough coming in here and making your first game with your hockey club a loss, but we’ve got to find a way to turn this ship around,” said Opsahl. “That’s six in a row now and every game’s important.”

The second period was typical of the Chiefs’ woes during the streak. The team worked hard, out-shooting the visitors 18-6 in the period, but fell behind 1-0.

Chiefs defenseman Scott Lynch turned the puck over to a charging Cody McMullin, who put a shot on Opsahl, then poked in the rebound when the puck dropped loose between his pads.

In all during the period, the Chiefs failed to convert on three power plays and saw their drought in that category extend to 1 for 35. The Chiefs had gone 101 shots and eight periods without a goal.

They ended those streaks in the third and created some drama, but the outcome was the same.

The Chiefs tied the game at the 3:50 mark of the period on a power-play goal by Adam Hobson, just his second of the season. After the goal, Spokane appeared to regain some confidence. But Red Deer was 6-0 when leading after two periods, and they didn’t fold.

The game would stay that way only briefly. Red Deer responded with a goal by Chris Neiszner at the 6:38 mark to make it 2-1. They seemed to put the nail in the Chiefs’ coffin with the game-winner by Paul Kurceba at the 9:15 mark.

Spokane responded just 39 seconds later, however, when rookie Chris Bruton got his sixth goal of the season at the 9:54 mark.

With the score 3-2, Spokane battled for the game-tying goal until the scoring was closed by Tyler Johnson’s empty-netter with just 23 seconds left.

Rebels 4, Chiefs 2

First period – None.

Second period – 1, RD, McMullin 3 (un) 17:10.

Third period – 2, Spo, Hobson 2 (McCue, KIassen) 3:50 (pp); 3, RD, Neiszner (Hentuik, Johnson) 6:38; 4, RD, Kurceba 1 (Jones, Neiszner) 9:15; 5, Spo, Bruton 6 (Grabner) 9:54; 6, RD, Johnson 5 (en) 19:37.

Key penalty - Neiszner, RD, (hooking) 3:09

Power-play Opportunities–Red Deer 0 of 3; Spokane 1 of 4. Saves–Red Deer, Festa 11-18-8–37. Spokane, Opsahl 13-5-11–29. A–3,341.