Chiefs’ homework assignment: Push for postseason
Everything is in place for the Spokane Chiefs to control their fate over the remainder of the Western Hockey League season.
The final push begins tonight at the Arena when fourth-place Spokane plays host to second-place Everett in the first of a four-game homestand. Archrival Tri-City visits Saturday night before what’s expected to be the season’s biggest home crowd.
Spokane (15-21-7-1, 38 points) has finally nudged ahead of Tri-City in the standings, but the Americans (36 points) are still lurking. The Chiefs can’t be assured a spot in the playoffs, yet they haven’t given up hope of catching third-place Portland (44).
After the next four home games, exactly one-third of the 72-game season will remain for the Chiefs. It’s unlikely during that time Spokane will move past first-place Seattle (63) or Everett (50) for one of the top two spots in the U.S. Division of the Western Conference.
If the playoffs started today, the Chiefs would face Seattle (No. 1 vs. No. 4). If the Chiefs wind up in third place and Everett holds onto second, those teams would meet for the second year in a row (No. 2 vs. No. 3).
The Chiefs have one win each against Seattle and Everett – both at home in mid-November – and are winless in their last five games against Everett and their last two against Seattle. The upcoming games with each may give Spokane an indication to where it stands.
Chiefs coach Al Conroy has been impressed lately with his team, which is 7-8-4 since the first of December after starting the season 8-13-3-1 (including a seven-game losing streak).
“The effort has been there every game, pretty much every period, so we’re real happy with that,” said Conroy after practice this week. “We’ve got to get our specialty teams going and we could probably give up a few fewer chances. But, really, for the most part our defense has been good, and our consistency has been good, and we’re happy with the direction that we’re going.”
Spokane’s penalty kill (PK) has been solid, but not spectacular, all season while the power play (PP) has gone from poor to worse over the past couple of months. The Chiefs are tied for 11th overall in the league on the PK (.833) but are 19th out of 20 teams on the PP (.120).
The team is relatively healthy and fully manned after a couple of trade-deadline deals. The only players not available are Matt McCue (broken ankle, three weeks) and Chris Bruton (concussion, day-to-day).
Look for Spokane to attempt to use its team speed more over the remainder of the schedule. The Chiefs have worked in practice on getting the breakout going faster. In last week’s 3-0 win over Medicine Hat, the Chiefs’ offense seemed to flow much better in a more wide-open game, though Conroy thought they gave up too many offensive chances.
“We don’t want to get into a run-and-gun with a team, but at the same time we definitely want to play up-tempo; not setting up behind our net and taking our time on regroups,” said Conroy. “As soon as there is a turnover, we want to turn it and start attacking right away.
“I think we’ve got good team speed and we pass well, so we don’t want to give the opponent a chance to formulate a defense.”
On Saturday night, the Chiefs will face a team (Tri-City) they’ve owned this season (5-1-1). One-third of their season win total has come against the Americans, whom they face five more times this season. The Chiefs also have five games left with Portland and Seattle, and three with Everett.
Ice chips
WHL statistical leaders for Spokane: Chad Klassen (13th, scoring, 48 points); Derek Ryan (fifth, rookie scoring, 27 points); Ned Lukacevic (tie second, short-handed goals, three); Myles Stoesz (first, penalty minutes, 170). … Spokane’s plus-minus leaders are: Chris Bruton (+7) and Kyle Howarth (+6). … The Chiefs have held their own against division opponents, going 9-9-2-1, and are also .500 against the East and Central divisions. Spokane’s downfall has been against the B.C. Division (2-8-3).