Surging Americans dominate Chiefs

The Spokane Chiefs pulled out all the stops for motivation: buck night, cheer stix, near-sellout crowd, archrival Tri-City in town on a Saturday night – oh, and yes, a couple of fights.

But none of them were a match for Americans 20-year-old captain Ian McDonald, whose natural hat trick led the Tri-City Americans to a 4-1 win over the Spokane Chiefs in Western Hockey League play at the Arena.

McDonald scored his team’s first three goals, in succession over two periods, as the Americans skated to a 4-0 lead early in the second period and dominated the Chiefs in the teams’ seventh meeting of the season. McDonald now has six goals against Spokane.

Third-place Tri-City (18-17-3-2, 41), which began the season slowly, has raced out of the cellar and is now four points ahead of last-place Spokane (17-22-4-0, 38) in the U.S. Division of the WHL’s Western Conference.

Both teams have made a fair amount of roster moves this season. The Americans appear to have put themselves into a more solid position for this season. Spokane, conversely, may be playing for next year.

The Chiefs sent four veteran players away at the trade deadline and got back just two regulars, a seventh defenseman, and some future draft picks. Both of the marquee players acquired by Spokane – defenseman Evan Haw and goalie Kevin Armstrong – made their home debuts and looked solid.

However, the events of a chaotic week with just one practice as a group took their toll on Spokane for a third straight game. The Chiefs’ losing streak is now at four games and it doesn’t get any easier down the stretch of the final 29 games.

Coach Bill Peters is concerned after his team took penalties that resulted in 10 Ams power plays.

“Guys have to look in the mirror; guys have to realize what it takes to win in this league – and they do know,” he said. “Right now, we’re unwilling to pay the price that it takes to be successful.”

Spokane’s effort bordered on a self-destructive implosion during a second period in which the Chiefs were outshot 21-6 and had to kill off two 5-on-3 advantages for Tri-City due to Spokane penalties.

The lowest moments came for Spokane after McDonald’s third goal made it 3-0 at the 5:01 mark.

Spokane then put itself on the penalty kill for all but 50 seconds of the next 6 minutes, 50 seconds and saw Tri-City’s Keith Voytechek make it 4-0 on one of those power plays at the 13:40 mark of the second.

The Chiefs, being outshot 22-11 at the time and looking inept, saw their frustration boil over with two fights in the final 3:25 of the period.

Between those tussles, 16-year-old rookie Drayson Bowman had the team’s lone bright spot of the night when he scored a short-handed goal at the 17:04 mark to make it 4-1.

McDonald’s night was spectacular, as he scored on two even-strength goals and a short-handed one.

Americans No. 1 goalie Carey Price returned in net after a one-game suspension that saw him miss Friday night’s contest. He stopped 18 Spokane shots.

Armstrong finished with 28 saves. He leaves this week with teammate Michael Grabner for the National Hockey League’s Top Prospects game in Ottawa.

Americans 4, Chiefs 1

First Period—1, TC, McDonald 20 (Beeman) 17:32; 2, TC, McDonald 21 1:43 (sh).

Second Period—3, TC, McDonald 21 (Stephenson) 5:01; 4, TC, Voytechek 6 (Knudsen, Prochyshen) 13:40 (pp); 5, Spo, Bowman 10 17:04 (sh).

Third Period—None.

Power-play Opp.—Tri-City 2 of 10; Spokane 0 of 8. Saves—Tri-City, Price 18 saves. Spokane, Armstrong 28 saves. A—10,178.