Chiefs’ hopes sink further after loss

There was no mistaking how much this loss – their sixth straight – hurt the Spokane Chiefs’ playoff hopes. They knew it, their coaches knew it, and so did the 8,462 fans.

“That’s a bitter pill to swallow, especially this time of the season,” said Chiefs coach Bill Peters.

Juraj Gracik scored the game-winner with 5:42 remaining as the Tri-City Americans downed the Spokane Chiefs 6-4 in Western Hockey League play on Friday night at the Arena.

Gracik’s goal, his second of the game, provided the difference, but an empty-net goal by Ams captain Matthew Schneider with 1:06 remaining buried the Chiefs.

The result is that Spokane (50 points) is down – way down – but not mathematically out of the chase for the fourth and final playoff spot from the U.S. Division of the Western Conference. With just 10 games left, the Chiefs trail Portland by five points after Spokane’s loss and a Winter Hawks win at Kamloops. Everett, Seattle and Tri-City appear to have the top three spots secured.

Gracik and teammate Jason Beeman each had two goals and an assist as Tri-City scored two goals in a span of 1:45 of the third period to win the game – scoring four goals in the final 20 minutes and overcoming one-goal deficits twice in the period.

Johannes Salmonsson had two goals and an assist for Spokane, but was just as depressed as his teammates after this one.

“That’s a tough loss,” acknowledged Salmonsson. “It’s so disappointing. It was a huge game for us. It was probably the hardest loss for us this season.”

Salmonsson scored goals just 50 seconds apart in the second period, at 4:18 and 5:08, as the Chiefs overcame a 2-1 deficit after one period.

Derek Ryan set up the first goal with a wrap-around move which drew Americans goalie Carey Price to the near post, then he passed it across the crease to a waiting Salmonsson. Then, on the ensuing shift, Salmonsson single-handedly gave his team the lead when he brought the puck from the boards, through the Tri-City defense, and across the crease to put it in the open half as Price failed to follow him across.

Spokane entered the final period ahead 3-2 after those goals.

Spokane took the initial lead just 1:41 into the game on a goal by Chris Bruton that was set up from behind the net by David Linsley, who was playing in his first game in more than a month after a hand injury. The puck was misplayed behind the net by starting Tri-City goalie Chet Pickard, who was pulled after the score in favor of Price.

Tri-City came back with two goals involving Gracik, who set up Beeman for the first one (at 7:59) with a spin-around move and pass and scored the second on a shot from the top of the right circle at 18:20 of the first.

Tri-City tied the game at 3 just 3:54 into the third period on a power-play goal by Beeman after rookie defenseman Jared Spurgeon took an ill-advised boarding penalty.

However, Spokane came back with its power-play goal at the 6-minute mark.

On that goal, Salmonsson held the puck in the corner and put a pass on the stick of Brad Erickson in the right slot to give Spokane the lead back at 4-3.

The game then started to get chippy in a manner typical of games between these rivals. After a couple of scraps resulted in a 4-on-4, Ams rookie Jarrett Toll got his first goal of the season at 13:33 to tie the game at 4.

Spokane began playing tentatively at that point and Tri-City took advantage. Gracik buried a Beeman rebound at 14:18.

Spokane pulled goalie Kevin Armstrong for the stretch, but on the ensuing face-off TC got the puck to a streaking Schneider who raced toward the net as Spurgeon tried to slow him.

“Good teams find a way to win – and that’s what they did tonight,” said Linsley.

•Friday’s “Jersey off the Back” auction raised a record $18,775 for the education fund.

Americans 6, Chiefs 4

First Period – 1, Spo, Bruton 12 (Linsley, Falk) 1:41; 2, TC Beeman 24 (Gracik) 7:59; 3, TC, Gracik 20 (Stephenson) 18:20. Second Period – 4, Spo, Salmonsson 1 (Ryan, Spurgeon) 4:18; 5, Spo, Salmonsson 12 (Hobson) 5:08. Third Period – 6, TC, Beeman 25 (McDonald) 3:54 (pp); 7, Spo, Erickson 12 (Salmonsson, Ryan) 6:00 . 8, TC, Toll (Aldred) 12:33; 9, TC, Gracik 21 (Beeman) 14:18; 10, TC, Schneider 20 (Aldred) 18:54 (en).

Power-play Opp. – Tri-City 1 of 5; Spokane 1 of 3. Saves – Tri-City, Pickard 0 saves; Price 17 saves. Spokane, Armstrong 27 saves. A – 8,462.