Spokane pushes Peters’ patience

Coach Bill Peters has stayed on message with his team all season: Play hard, but play smart.

Ten games into the season, Spokane continues to heed only the first part of its coach’s advice. The result is frustration for the players, fans and coaches.

The Chiefs fell to the Kamloops Blazers 1-0 in a Western Hockey League game on Saturday night at the Arena before a crowd of 6,437.

Spokane managed just 29 shots and extended its power-play futility at home to 0 for 34. After the game, Peters said he’s seen enough.

“It’s a tough loss,” Peters said. “We’ve struggled to score goals, and when the power play doesn’t contribute any goals, it makes it even harder than it needs to be.

“We’ve got to open up it on the power play. We’ve got to let everyone get a try on the power play.”

Spokane lost three of its four captains for two periods because of fighting majors, continued to allow odd-man opportunities, and got whistled for out-of-position penalties, such as tripping and offsides calls. The Chiefs (4-6-0-0, 8 points) lost their second straight home game.

The first period came to a wild finish – with Kamloops leading 1-0 – after a line brawl in the final minute that started when Spokane’s Chris Bruton checked a Kamloops player into the boards and was surrounded by Blazers. Soon, there were five fights on the ice.

Under WHL rules, all of the players after the first pair that begin fighting are ejected. Spokane lost the Lynch brothers, Jason and Jeff, along with Joe Logan and J.P. Szaskiewicz. Jeff Lynch is team captain, and Jason Lynch and Logan are assistant captains.

Ejected for Kamloops were Terrance Delaronde, Victor Bartley, C.J. Stretch, and Keaton Ellerby.

Reid Jorgensen, the Blazers’ second-leading scorer, had the only goal for either team. He converted on a pass from Ray Macias at the 6:47 mark of the first period when a Spokane defensive breakdown led to a 2-on-1 opportunity.

Spokane’s Jim Watt made 24 saves.

Blazers 1, Chiefs 0

First Period—1, Kam, Jorgensen 6 (Macias) 6:47.

Second Period—None.

Third Period—None.

Power-play Opp.—Kamloops 0 of 6; Spokane 0 of 7. Saves—Kamloops, Maniago (W, 2-1) 28 saves. Spokane, Watt (L, 4-6) 24 saves. A—6,437.