Chiefs have just a bear of a time

On this night, it was the Spokane Chiefs who could have used a little charity. But Everett wouldn’t oblige.

The Chiefs, clearly still tired from their recent five-game road swing, fell 2-0 to the first-place Everett Silvertips in a Western Hockey League U.S. Division game on Saturday night at the Spokane Arena.

With the win, the Silvertips (37 points) extended their lead over the Chiefs (29).

Everett goalie Leland Irving did his best Grinch, stopping 28 shots for his second shut out of the season on the team’s annual Teddy Bear Toss night.

The promotion asks fans to bring new or gently used stuffed animals to the rink – to be thrown on the ice after the Chiefs’ first goal. Spokane had few chances to make that happen, through the game and Irving made sure they didn’t capitalize on the ones they had.

Finally, with 2:30 left in the game, Chiefs fans took matters into their own hands. They began tossing 3,051 stuffed toys onto the ice during a stoppage in play. After a plea from the public address announcer to stop went unheeded, the fans were allowed to continue. The toys benefit the area’s underprivileged children.

It was the only Hallmark moment for Chiefs fans on this night.

“I really didn’t think we had a ton of energy tonight,” said Spokane coach Bill Peters. “We’re going to keep the guys off the ice (today) for a 6 o’clock game (vs. Portland), come out and play with energy and find a way to get all 18 guys to contribute.

“… Now it’s a mental battle, more than anything, to find a way to finish off the first half prior to Christmas.”

Irving stopped every shot he saw and denied two Chiefs flurries on a power play late in the second period after Everett went up 1-0 on Jesse Smyke’s goal at the 7:36 mark that got past Spokane goalie Jim Watt.

Spokane had its moment to even things on a power play that began with 7:14 remaining in the period. The Chiefs’ combination of J.P. Szaskiewicz, Myles Stoesz, and Seth Compton broke down’s Everett’s penalty kill and – on two occasions within 30 seconds – had players and the puck piled in the crease.

However, they would not score on either occasion as Irving was rock-solid in denying multiple shots each time. Illustrative was the second chance, when the puck danced tantazlizingly through the air amongst several Chiefs and Silvertips in front of Irving – who ended up catching the puck while losing his stick in the process.

Everett got an insurance goal at the 16:06 mark when rookie superstar Peter Mueller made the most of back-to-back chances off consecutive Spokane turnovers. On the first shot from the high slot, Watt denied his hard shot. On the second shot from the same point seconds later, Watt got a glove on the puck but it got past him and tumbled into the net to make it 2-0.

The goal was the 13th of the season for Mueller, who will represent Team USA in the World Junior (U-20) tournament in Canada. He is projected to be a top-10 pick in the 2006 NHL draft.

Ice chips

The Chiefs played again without captain Jeff Lynch, who is resting a knee injured at Red Deer. He will also miss tonight’s game and his status is day to day. … Mitch Wahl, the Chiefs’ No. 1 pick in the 2005 Bantam Draft, was in the lineup. As a 15-year-old, he’s eligible to play in only five games before end-of-the season call-ups.

Silvertips 2, Chiefs 0

First Period—None. Second Period—1, Everett, Smyke 3 (Harper, Potuer) 7:36; 2, Everett, Mueller 13 (Alic, Heshka) 16:06. Third Period—None.

Power-play Opp.—Everett 0 of 4; Spokane 0 of 6. Saves—Everett, Irving 7-12-9—28. Spokane, Watt 11-8-12—31. A—7,527