Ryan’s solid play speaks volumes

A soft-spoken young man, Derek Ryan is quietly becoming a star to be reckoned with in the Western Hockey League.

Ryan scored the go-ahead goal and earned the first star as the Spokane Chiefs held on for a 3-2 WHL win over the Saskatoon Blades in front of 3,633 on Wednesday night at the Spokane Arena.

Ryan, the Shadle High product, was last season’s Western Conference rookie of the year. He’s stepping up things a notch this season, as his goal was his fourth of the season and came on the heels of a two-goal, one-assist night on Saturday in a key road win over Tri-City.

The Chiefs fired a season-high 51 shots on net and needed every one of them.

Spokane got its other goals from fourth-line winger Seth Compton (in the second period) and rookie Drayson Bowman (in the third). Not coincidentally, all three goals came on rebounds as the Chiefs outworked their opponents.

With the win, Spokane (4-4-0-0, eight points) is tied for second place in the U.S. Division with preseason favorite Portland, which visits on Friday.

Most of the magic for Spokane happened over a 5-minute stretch of the second period after the teams played a well-contested, but largely uneventful scoreless first period.

Spokane dominated the Blades over the second 20 minutes, outshooting them 22-4 in the period but holding just a one-goal lead entering the third. The Chiefs rallied for two goals after Saskatoon scored the first goal of the game at the 6:07 mark when Ryan Menei walked in on the Spokane defense and beat goalie Jim Watt high to the stick side.

The Blades couldn’t stand success, however. They put Spokane on two power plays over the next 6 minutes – but denied the Chiefs thanks largely to the stellar play of their goaltender, Anton Khudobin.

Khudobin, a 2004 draft pick of the Minnesota Wild, had been relegated to a backup role and entered the game with a fat 4.74 goals-against average. His play on this night belied the numbers, as he posted 48 saves.

Spokane was frustrated on several rushes against the Blades but persisted and was rewarded at the 12:27 mark of the second when Ryan banged home a rebound of a Chris Bruton shot. The play came just 11 seconds after the end of a Spokane power play and was started when leading scorer Chad Klassen put a shot on net from the high slot and Bruton hacked away.

“It’s great to get a goal, obviously, but it’s even better to get the win,” Ryan said. “Coming at home, and in the first of four games, it feels good to get the win and get some confidence going.”

The goal clearly invigorated the Chiefs, and they kept applying pressure over the next 4-plus minutes. At the 16:53 mark of the second, Spokane took the lead for good at 2-1 as the fourth offensive line delivered. Compton got his first goal of the season as he cleaned up a rebound of a Kyle Howarth shot that eluded the grasp of a diving Khudobin.

“That was a good shift by that fourth line and I thought they played well all night,” said Peters of Compton, Howarth and Myles Stoesz.

Spokane couldn’t convert on a two-man advantage over nearly 2 minutes at the end of the second, but the Chiefs added a goal that turned out to be the game-winner at the 10:45 mark of the period on a beautiful goal by Bowman.

Bowman put a shot on net from close-in at the right post, then skated behind the net as the puck bounced through the crease. He met it on the other side of the net and put it in backhanded to the short side of the net and off the skate of a Blades defenseman.

“Every game the adjustments get smaller and I’m feeling more comfortable out there,” said Bowman.

Saskatoon made things interesting with a second goal, by Michael MacAngus, at the 16:14 mark of the third period while skating short-handed.

The Blades would pull their goalie for the extra skater before the end of the period, but were denied by Watt and his defense. Watt finished with 19 saves.

Chiefs 3, Blades 2

First Period—None

Second Period—1, Sas, Menei 2 (McCrae) 6:07; 2, Spo, Ryan 4 (Bruton, Klassen) 12:27; 3, Spo, Compton 1 (Howarth, Stoesz) 16:53.

Third Period—4, Spo, Bowman 2 (Je Lynch) 10:45; 5, Sas, MacAngus (Gillies) 16:14 (sh).

Power-play Opp.—Saskatoon 0 of 7; Spokane 0 of 8. Saves—Saskatoon, Khudobin 15-20-13—48. Spokane, Watt 9-3-7—19. A—3,633.