Chiefs, T-C would play if tie occurs

The schedule says the Western Hockey League season ends on March 19, the day when the Spokane Chiefs play host to the Kootenay Ice.

But, it appears, there is one scenario in which that wouldn’t be the case.

Should the Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans end up in a tie (including wins and points) for the fourth and final playoff spot in the U.S. Division, a one-game playoff would be held to decide which team would advance into the first round of the playoffs.

If necessary, the game would be hosted March 22 by the team with the edge in the season series. That would be the Chiefs, who are 6-4-1-1 against the Americans this season with one game left.

The Chiefs would prefer to wrap up matters by the end of the regular season, a seven-game stretch that begins tonight when the Everett Silvertips visit. Spokane (23-32-8-2, 56 points) plays four games in five days and begins the week two points behind Tri-City (24-34-7-3, 58 points) for fourth. The Americans visit the Arena on Saturday night for their final game with the Chiefs.

The tiebreaking procedures for a play-in game – announced on Monday by the WHL – apply only to a tie for the last playoff position.