Chiefs put in solid effort to earn a 4-2 victory over Kamloops

The Spokane Chiefs won the type of game they’re going to have to win as the Western Hockey League season winds down.

Spokane downed Kamloops 4-2 on Saturday night before 6,876 fans in the Arena.

The Chiefs dominated play from the start on Saturday, but the game was tied at the end of each of the first two periods as Kamloops goalie Devan Dubnyk held Spokane at bay. Spokane persisted and broke through in the third period with two goals to win a key contest.

“We want to be in the playoffs, but we want to be playing well,” said Chiefs coach Al Conroy. “So, tonight was important, it was good to see us give 60 minutes out there.”

Spokane got on the board first when Kyle Howarth scored an unassisted goal at 6:44. The play started when the Blazers had trouble getting it out of their end and captain Aaron Richards tripped behind the net. The puck broke loose and Howarth picked it up near the left circle and buried a shot past Dubnyk.

At the other end of the ice, Jim Watt didn’t face a shot on goal until 8 minutes, 15 seconds had elapsed. Then, just 30 seconds later, Kamloops’ Kris Hogg converted on a power-play opportunity at 8:45 as he deflected in a shoulder-high pass from the right goal line while waiting near the left post.

Kamloops’ Kevin Hayman gave his team a 2-1 lead at the 6:40 mark of the period while Jevon Desautels was in the penalty box on a questionable roughing call by referee Pat Smith.

Finally, at 7:12 of the second, Spokane’s Myles Stoesz was taken down behind the Chiefs’ net and it led to a melee involving six players. The end result was a game misconduct for Kamloops’ Tyrell Moulton and a two-minute man advantage for Spokane.

The Chiefs would convert just four seconds after the teams returned even strength, when Jeff Lynch put back a rebound of a Chad Klassen post shot at 8:16 of the second. That’s the way the period would end, but Spokane would grab the lead just 57 seconds into the final period.

Defenseman Gustav Engman put Spokane up 3-2 when he collected a pass between his skates, then backhanded it into the net from just inside the right circle. Meanwhile, Watt continued his solid play in net.

The Chiefs successfully defended a two-minute 5-on-4 that resulted from another controversial call by Smith. Spokane’s Dan Mercer was taken down behind the net by Terrance Delaronde and held down, yet it was Mercer who drew a roughing penalty.

Chiefs captain Jevon Desautels argued such but Smith tuned it out until Desautels said it in a way that earned a 10-minute misconduct.

The Chiefs would get the last word, though when Ned Lukacevic put in the insurance goal to make it 4-2 at 13:22 of the third period on a pretty pass from Adam Hobson, who had two assists on the night. Howarth added an assist.

Then, after holding back all game, Stoesz finally took out Kamloops bruiser Terrance Delaronde to the delight of the crowd just 26 seconds later.

Chiefs 4, Blazers 2

First period –1, Spo, Howarth 10 6:44; 2, Kam, Hogg 14 (Gutierrez, Jorgensen) 8:45 (pp). Key penalty - Zimmerman, Spo (ob-tripping) 15:50.

Second period – 3, Kam, Hayman 5 (Bartley, Jasovsky) 6:40 (pp); 4, Spo, Je Lynch 14 (Klassen, Howarth) 8:16 (pp). Key penalties – Desautels, Spo (charging) 4:54; Moulton, Kam (roughing) 8:00.

Third period – 5, Spo, Engman 7 (Hobson, Lukacevic) :57; 6, Lukacevic 16 (Hobson, Mercer) 13:22.

Power-play Opportunities–Kamloops 2 of 7; Spokane 1 of 5. Saves–Kamloops, Dubnyk 14-17-5–36. Spokane, Watt 7-7-8–23. A–6,876.