Chiefs end exhibition slate with shutout loss

Spokane Chiefs coach Al Conroy said he wanted to work on special teams, but this wasn’t what he had in mind.

The Chiefs concluded their Western Hockey League exhibition season Saturday night, falling to the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-0 at Eagles Ice-A-Rena before a crowd of 923.

The game marked the conclusion of exhibition play for Spokane (0-3-2). Conroy had a goal in mind of seeing how well the team’s power-play and penalty-kill units had progressed during the weeks of practice since camp opened.

Unfortunately for him, Conroy got a chance to see a lot of both and he didn’t like all that he saw.

His grade of the penalty-kill unit was “very good,” the power play, “very average.” One thing he did like from his team – and it is his mantra – effort, effort, effort.

“I thought the effort was good, but it was such a tough game for either team to play in when there’s probably only 10 minutes of even-strength hockey the whole game,” said Conroy, who earned himself a bench minor penalty for expressing those same frustrations to the officiating crew. “I don’t think either team went into the game hoping to work the power play and their penalty kill that much.”

The game had little flow, as each team was whistled for 23 penalties. The contest was marked mostly by chippy and undisciplined play, as the teams established that they don’t like each other much.

It was the second meeting in eight days for Spokane and Seattle, who had a line brawl last week that resulted in fines and suspensions for each team. There were more fisticuffs and rough play this time and, pursuant to WHL exhibition rules, game suspensions were issued to every player whistled for fighting.

The Chiefs had many offensive opportunities, especially early in the game, but could not cash in on any of them as Seattle goaltender Josh Lepp pitched a shutout while stopping 37 saves. Meanwhile, Spokane goalie Jim Watt stopped 30 of 33 shots, one goal each for Seattle coming on the power play, the penalty kill and even strength.

After an uneventful first period, Seattle took a 1-0 lead at 9 minutes, 26 seconds of the second when Ryan Gibbons took a feed from Aaron Gagnon in a 2-on-1 situation and beat Watt, who had slid over to deny Gagnon.

Seattle broke through again at the 4:07 mark of the third period when Nate Thompson scored with assists from Clayton Barthel and Bretton Stamler.

The T-Birds closed out the scoring at the 7:12 mark of the third on a Gagnon goal, but the outcome was already well-decided.

Spokane opens regular-season play next Saturday night in Cranbrook, British Columbia against Kootenay.