Bartley’s hat trick lifts Giants past Chiefs

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – The Spokane Chiefs fell to the Vancouver Giants 5-2 in Western Hockey League play on Saturday night – and in the process fell behind Tri-City in the race for the last playoff spot.

The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for Spokane (13-19-7-1, 34 points), which fell two points behind Tri-City (36 points) in the U.S. Division of the Western Conference.

Vancouver forward Mitch Bartley scored three goals for his first WHL career hat trick.

Adam Courchaine and Luke Egener also scored for Vancouver (20-14-1-2). Gilbert Brule, celebrating his 18th birthday, chipped in with two assists.

Jevon Desautels and Derek Ryan scored for Spokane.

Vancouver dominated the first period and was rewarded with a pair of power-play goals, both scored by Bartley. The 19-year-old deflected a point shot past Spokane goalie Jim Watt to open scoring at 7:43, then beat Watt through the legs with a nifty deke at 14:41.

Desautels scored for Spokane at 10:22 of the second period but Courchaine replied at 15:01, cutting into the slot and wiring a slapshot past Watt high to the glove side.

Bartley completed his hat trick at 17:45 of the second period, four seconds after a Spokane penalty had expired. Bartley took a pass from Shaun Vey at the hash marks, waited a second, then lifted the puck over a sprawled Watt to give Vancouver a 4-1 lead.

Watt made 19 saves for Spokane.

Vancouver is 3-0 against Spokane.

Giants 5, Chiefs 2

First period–1, Van, Bartley 10 (Albers, Brule) 7:43 (pp); 2, Van, Bartley 11 (Brule, Vey) 14:41 (pp). Key penalties – Lynch, Spo (tripping) 7:37; Engman, Spo (ob-holding) 13:47.

Second period– 3, Spo, Desautels 10 (Gladue, Stoesz) 10:22; 4, Van, Courchaine 15 (Watt) 15:01; 5, Van, Bartley 12 (Vey, Kraus) 17:45.

Third period– 6, Spo, Ryan 8 (Lynch) 3:31; 7, Van, Egener 1 (Kassian) 10:13.

Power-play opportunities–Spokane 0 of 6; Vancouver 2 of 8. Saves–Spokane, Watt 10-4-5–19. Vancouver, Jennings 12-9-11–32. A–7,305.