Chiefs pummel Portland

There is a new folk hero for Spokane Chiefs fans.

Judd Blackwater, an 18-year-old rookie center, got his first Western Hockey League goal on Sunday night as the Spokane Chiefs thumped the Portland Winter Hawks 8-1 at the Arena.

Oh, and Blackwater also had an assist. Then, for good measure (and maybe most important to the fans), he picked – and won – a fight. It’s a hat trick of a different sort, referred to as a “Gordie Howe.”

Blackwater’s emergence in just his seventh game as a Chief was just one feel-good story line for a team that finally hit on all cylinders at home. The Chiefs had four power-play goals in 11 opportunities as they frustrated Portland and dominated every aspect of the game.

The game was a big one in the standings, too. Spokane (15-15-1-0, 31 points) is still in fourth place in the U.S. Division, but gained ground on the second-place Winter Hawks (15-11-1-2, 33). Seattle (32) is in third place.

“It was good,” coach Bill Peters said. “We got on the board offensively a little bit. The power play was much better, the penalty kill was perfect, and we played well.”

Chad Klassen, the Chiefs’ 20-year-old captain during the absence of the injured Jeff Lynch, led by example. He scored two goals and assisted on two others.

In net, 17-year-old rookie Thomas Stehr ran his winning streak to four games while stopping 21 shots as he and the Chiefs avenged an 8-3 home whipping laid on them by Portland on Nov. 23.

Portland got the first score in the game, as Max Gordichuk beat Stehr on a slapshot from the right point on the first shot of the game at 4:22 of the first period. Stehr also got whistled for illegally playing the puck behind the net and was a bit shaky.

Spokane responded for its goalie, however, as Adam Hobson got his team-leading 13th goal of the season. He beat Portland starting goalie Dustin Butler from the right post at the 8:03 mark.

The Chiefs then extended their lead to 2-1 on Klassen’s first goal, while his team was shorthanded, at the 11:46 mark of the first.

Spokane would make it 3-1 by the end of the first period, as rookie forward Drayson Bowman got his eighth goal of the season on a wrist shot from the right circle at 15:32.

The goal, which came on the power play, resulted in Butler being pulled from the game. He was replaced by 16-year-old rookie Kurtis Mucha, who wouldn’t fare better.

Spokane notched another goal with a man advantage early in the second, as Klassen got his second goal at the 2:39 mark of the second. He put it past Mucha on a one-timer from the left circle.

That gave the Chiefs a 4-1 lead after two periods and they were in control of the game.

Spokane officially made it a blowout with two goals in the first 4:23 of the third period and would tack on two more after that for the final margin as Portland crumbled.

Derek Ryan, who also had an assist, got his 11th goal of the season on the power play at the 3:48 mark of the final period as Spokane converted on a 5-on-3 opportunity when his shot went off the stick of Gordichuk.

Then, just 35 seconds later and still with a man advantage, Dan Mercer buried a beautiful feed from Blackwater to make it 6-1. Blackwater would get a marker himself at the 10:15 mark, unassisted, to make it 7-1.

The game – which had escalated physically – started to get out of hand at that point, as the teams ultimately piled up 105 penalty minutes. That’s when Blackwater buckled the knees of Portland’s Mike McDonald in one tussle, earning him cheers from the fans.

J.P. Szaskiewicz closed out the scoring.

Chiefs 8, Winter Hawks 1

First Period—1, Por, Gordichuk 2 (Balan, Gabriel) 4:22; 2, Spo, Hobson 13 (Ryan, McCue) 8:03; 3, Spo, Klassen 11 (Logan) 11:46 (sh); 4, Bowman 8 (Klassen, Bruton) 15:32 (pp).

Second Period—5, Spo, Klassen 11 (Schulz, Bruton) 2:39 (pp). Third Period—6, Spo, Ryan 11 (Klassen, Logan) 3:48 (pp); 7, Spo, Mercer 1 (Spurgeon, Blackwater) 4:23 (pp); 8, Spo, Blackwater 1, 10:16; 9, Spo, Szaszkiewicz 2 18:28.

Power-play Opp.—Portland 0 of 6; Spokane 4 of 11. Saves—Portland, Butler 5-x-x-x—5; Mucha (L, 3-4) 1-6-10—17. Spokane, Stehr (W, 4-3) 9-9-3-21. A—4,115