Chiefs pull off remarkable comeback

The Spokane Chiefs showed it’s not how many players you have on the bench, but who you have.

On Wednesday night, the short-handed Chiefs were missing seven injured players, enough for a forward line and two defensive lines, and suited up just 15 position players for their Western Hockey League game with the Prince George Cougars.

But those Chiefs who were healthy enough to play gave a game effort against a deeper opponent who was trying to clinch the final playoff spot in the B.C. Division of the Western Conference and prevailed over Prince George 4-3 in overtime.

Sean Zimmerman’s one-timer from the slot 1:59 into overtime was the difference.

“I don’t think I realized (it was in) at first, then everyone started going nuts and it was like, ‘Holy smokes,’ ” said Zimmerman.

It was set up by Michael Grabner from behind the net as he had another stellar game.

Grabner had two goals and two assists as Spokane (24-38-5-3, 56 points) rallied from a 3-0 deficit after two periods to force the extra session. The Chiefs’ first overtime win on the season extended their season-best winning streak to three.

Prince George clinched the spot over Kamloops by earning a point when the game went to overtime, but it was Spokane that celebrated after the game.

“I’m glad that Zim got his second goal – it was hard to get it through – but I’m really happy that we came back from 3-nothing to get the win,” said Grabner, who has 35 goals on the season.

The final period was in contrast to the first, when Prince George scored on its first shot of the game. Nicholas Drazenovic beat Spokane goalie Kevin Armstrong high, stick side just 1 minute, 18 seconds into the game.

The Cougars would extend their lead to 2-0 after one period when Jared Walker pounced on a loose puck in the slot and put it on net. Armstong got a piece of the shot, but it tumbled over him and into the net at the 15:06 mark as he tried in vain to grab it before it crossed the goal line.

Spokane played Prince George to a virtual standstill during the second period, but the Cougars sensed a knockout if they could score before the horn sounded. They got the goal when Greg Gardner snapped in a wrister of a loose puck in the slot with just 14.7 seconds remaining in the second period.

The Chiefs had generated a fair amount of scoring chances throughout the game, but were consistently turned away by Cougars goalie Scott Bowles and a defense which methodically cleared away rebounds.

Spokane finally broke through 2:02 into the final period, on a power play, when 15-year-old call-up defenseman Michael Reddington put a hard shot on from the point and the big rebound was tapped in by Adam Hobson backhanded. Hobson also had two assists.

Grabner, Hobson’s linemate, would bring his team back to within one goal at the 9:54 mark of the period. The play was set up when rookie Drayson Bowman fought off several Cougars to hold the puck in the PG zone. Grabner grabbed the puck and put it into the back of net.

The Chiefs were clearly energized by the goal and continued to make a run at Prince George. Grabner got his second goal at the 12:33 mark of the period to tie the game at 3. He banged home a rebound of a Hobson wrap-around attempt until it eluded the grasp of Bowles.

After the game, Hobson was drained by a flu, which is making its way around the team.

“We came together, we focused,” said Hobson. “After two periods, we got the guys together and said, ‘We can do this.’ We got the job done.”

The game was the first of three in four nights for Spokane, which will not make the playoffs and closes out its season with a Friday-Saturday home-and-home matchup with Kootenay.

Ice chips

Missing for Spokane were injured players: Phil Magistrale (knee); Evan Haw (concussion); Chris Bruton (torso); Jeff Lynch (shoulder); Jared Spurgeon (hip); Dan Mercer (ankle); and Johannes Salmonsson (flu). Magistrale, Haw, Lynch, Spurgeon and Mercer are likely done for the remaining two games, while Salmonsson will be evaluated daily. … The Chiefs will dye the ice green on Friday night in honor of St. Patrick’s Day and will hold a silent auction to benefit the medical fund for Graydon Bishop, the son of Chiefs trainer Darcy Bishop, who is being treated for leukemia. Former Chiefs coach Mike Babcock, now coach of the Detroit Red Wings, has donated three autographed jerseys from his team.

Chiefs 4, Cougars 3 (OT)

First Period—1, PG, Drazenovic 30 1:18; 2, PG, Walker 18 (Hunter, Zimmer) 15:06. Second Period—3, PG, Gardner 4 19:46. Third Period—4, Spo, Hobson 23 (Reddington, Grabner) 2:02 (pp); 5, Spo, Grabner 34 (Bowman, Szaskiewicz) 9:54; 6, Spo, Grabner 35 (Hobson) 12:33. Overtime—7, Spo, Zimmerman 2 (Grabner, Hobson) 1:59. Power-play Opp.—Prince George 0 of 2; Spokane 1 of 4. Saves—Prince George, Bowles 29 saves. Spokane, Armstrong 34 saves. A—4,319.