Now it really is hockey season: Tri-City’s here to play Chiefs

The Spokane Chiefs open at home tonight in a familiar way.

The Chiefs and the Tri-City Americans renew their Western Hockey League rivalry at the Spokane Arena – the teams’ 219th meeting in 17 years.

Spokane leads the all-time series (103-92-13), but the games between the U.S. Division rivals are always spirited and tightly contested.

“For us, we arguably bring out the best in each other,” said Spokane general manager Tim Speltz. “There have been years when our teams have been in different spots in the standings, yet the games against each other have always been very competitive, emotional, fiery – whatever you want to use, I think they’re that.”

The Chiefs and Americans will look to get their first points of the season in today’s 7 p.m. game. The first puck will be dropped around 7:15, after extensive pregame ceremonies.

Both teams are 0-1 after dropping road openers to the Kootenay Ice. The Ice thumped Tri-City 7-1, while Spokane fell 4-2 the next night.

Last season, Tri-City and Spokane futilely battled for the fourth (and final) playoff spot in the U.S. division, the berth going to the Ams essentially by default as Spokane lost its last five games and nine of its last 11.

Both teams look improved, though Spokane more than Tri-City – which lost several of its top players to the pros. The Ams, however, will feature goalie Carey Price, the National Hockey League’s fifth overall pick in this summer’s entry draft.

Tonight will be the first good test of where the team is at in its progress – and Spokane’s players will be primed by the festivities. That’s something that concerns Spokane coach Bill Peters.

“The challenge will be to stay focused early in the game,” Peters said. “We’re going to be jacked up, but so is Tri. That’s a team we play 12 times, it’s a natural rival, and it’s exciting to be in an atmosphere where a team’s opening up its season and there’s electricity in the air.

“Both teams are going to benefit from that – and it’s just all about not getting too high in the beginning, coming out and getting the game going from there and continuing.”

That’s much what Spokane did in its first home game with the Americans last season, outshooting them 50-29 in a 3-0 victory over Price. But it’s just one chapter in the history of the rivalry which typically features close games and hard hitting.

It’s almost a rivalry that wasn’t anymore. At the end of last season, the former ownership group of the Tri-City franchise asked the WHL owners for permission to relocate.

At the end of the day, that group sold and got an expansion franchise. The Americans were rescued by a local ownership group that includes former stars Stu Barnes and Olaf Kolzig and general manager Bob Tory.

“A lot of the credit goes to the Spokane Chiefs and Bobby Brett and Tim Speltz for keeping hockey in the Tri-Cities,” said Tory. “Without their support, and those of our other partners in the division, I’m not sure we would have been awarded a franchise.”