Grabner gets in groove

Michael Grabner’s hat trick turned the trick for the Spokane Chiefs.

The Austrian import – whose professional prospects continue to rise – scored three goals as the Spokane Chiefs ended a 12-game losing streak with a 5-2 Western Hockey League win over the Tri-City Americans on Saturday night at the Arena.

The victory was small consolation for Spokane, which will miss the playoffs. Their archrivals have clinched a U.S. Division playoff berth but were no match on this night for a hungry Chiefs team and a sellout crowd of 10,700.

The Chiefs entered the final period leading 3-2 on the one-man efforts of Grabner. Grabner nearly had a hat trick the first 2 minutes into the final period, hitting a post.

He got it, however, before the period’s end. His goal at the 16:58 mark, on a rebound of a shot by linemate Adam Hobson, sealed the victory.

Efforts like this are becoming more common for the National Hockey League draft-eligible 18-year-old. He and Hobson have developed a chemistry which has carried this offensive-challenged team during this season.

Grabner scored two goals in a span of 3:03 of the second period to help Spokane rally back from a 2-1 deficit and take the lead.

Each came courtesy of his blazing speed and growing confidence carrying the puck up ice and finishing scoring chances.

Tri-City skated to a one-goal lead after one period on the strength of two power-play goals by 17-year-old Joel Broda.

Grabner’s first goal came short-handed and tied the game at the 13:49 mark of the second. Grabner and Hobson led a charge up ice – Hobson put a shot on net and Grabner banged in the rebound.

Grabner followed that up with a breakaway goal at the 16:52 mark when he split two Tri-City defenders and put it hard on net. Tri-City goalie Carey Price gloved the shot, getting most but not all of it. It dribbled behind him in slow-motion and into the net.

The goal gave the Chiefs a lead they didn’t relinquish. Spokane, which had trouble scoring insurance goals all season, finally got one – and it came from the unlikeliest of sources.

Late in the third period, defenseman Matt McCue took a feed from Drayson Bowman and went up the right side of the ice.

He put a shot on net that was turned away by Price, who tried to gather in the puck to no avail. McCue put it in at the 15:07 mark of the third period.

The Americans took the early lead on a power-play goal by Broda at the 10:40 mark of the first period.

Spokane responded at the 14:02 mark as Hobson got his 20th goal of the season as the Chiefs skated a man down. He put in a rebound of a Seth Compton shot.

Tri-City came right back just 31 seconds later – on the same power play – on a laser shot from the right circle that beat Spokane goalie Kevin Armstrong stick side.

The Chiefs hit the first of their many posts on a power play at the end of the second, a couple of them by utility player J.P. Szaskiewicz, who continued to fill in at the blue line because of numerous injuries. Brad Erickson also filled in.

Chiefs 5, Americans 2

First Period—1, TC, Broda 2 (McDonald, Stephenson) 10:40 (pp); 2, Spo, Hobson 20 (Compton) 14:02 (sh); 3, TC, Broda 3 14:33 (pp).

Second Period—4, Spo, Grabner 30 (Hobson, Lynch) 13:49 (sh); 5, Spo, Grabner 31 (Ryan, Szaskiewicz) 16:52.

Third Period—6, Spo, McCue5 (Bowman) 15:07 (pp); 7, Spo, Grabner 32 (Hobson, Erickson) 16:58 (pp)..

Power-play Opp.—Tri-City 2 of 6; Spokane 2 of 14. Saves—Tri-City, Price 43 saves. Spokane, Armstrong 25 saves. A—10,700.