Chiefs count on net results

Apparently, there is no goalie controversy for the Spokane Chiefs.

Anointed starter Kevin Armstrong has struggled and rookie Dustin Tokarski has exceeded expectations through six games. But both will play this weekend and the team said Armstrong will get the start tonight when the Chiefs host Everett.

“We need both of them to play well if we’re going to be successful this season,” said Coach Bill Peters.

Along those lines, the Chiefs have been doing their best to pick up Armstrong during this week’s practices. By midweek, Armstrong started to show signs of shaking the hangover from Saturday night’s loss to Tri-City.

“He had an excellent week of practice,” Peters said.

Armstrong said he’s not feeling sorry for himself.

“You just really can’t worry about performances like that,” he said. “Obviously, it didn’t go my way. Sometimes it will, sometimes it won’t. You’ve got to just kind of deal with that, forget about it, move on and just keep concentrating on your own game. I want to go out there and show them that I’m better than that.”

The No. 1 goaltending job was Armstrong’s at the start of the season but is now undecided.

This weekend may shed further light on the situation. The Chiefs play three games in three nights, including a tough trip to Kelowna (Saturday) and Seattle (Sunday) as they play five of their next six on the road. During the upcoming stretch, Peters will evaluate both of his goaltenders – as he does daily.

Both players say the competition is pushing them to excel.

“I think it’s good,” Armstrong said. “We both motivate each other – work hard and push each other. I think it’s a lot harder when you’ve got someone beside you working just as hard to motivate you to up your game.”

It will be Armstrong in net tonight against an Everett team that Tokarski beat in a shootout one week ago in his first Western Hockey League start – the Silvertips’ only loss. It was a big splash for the rookie, who also relieved Armstrong early in the first period on Saturday.

“You’ve always got to be ready for situations like that,” said Tokarski, 17. “You’ve just got to go in there, stay focused, and can’t let anything else bother you.”

Tokarski showed that same mental toughness and resilience in his second start on Tuesday night at home against Portland. The Chiefs gave up an early power-play goal, but Tokarski and the team bounced back to earn the victory. Peters has stressed playing time is based on the bottom line.

“He said he wants to win, so he’s going to play whoever he thinks will get the win – whether it’s Army or me,” said Tokarski. “I just want to be out there and show them what I can do. I want to be the guy.”

Tokarski was undrafted as a bantam and had been to two WHL camps previously – Swift Current as a 15-year-old and Calgary as a 16-year-old.

“I thought I had solid camps, but obviously they didn’t see what they wanted so I moved on,” said Tokarski, who led his Canadian team to the national midget championship last season. The experience prepared him well for his WHL opportunity.

“I played a ton last year; we had an awesome team – made it all the way and won a championship,” he said. “It made me get my focus, get my composure this year for me to make the next step.”

Armstrong came to the Chiefs as the centerpiece of a blockbuster trade-deadline deal with Saskatoon. He has struggled more with Spokane, which may reflect on the defense in front of him.

Regardless, Armstrong thinks he may have been trying to do too much in his four starts.

“I think I might have been thinking too much – too many things being said to me all at once,” he said. “I’ve just got to go back to playing it simple and playing my game – work on those things in practice but just stop the puck in the game.”

It’s advice upon which all of his teammates can agree.

“I think everyone just needs to keep it simple – play our game, play our system and play with confidence,” said Armstrong. “It’s all a team effort and everyone just needs to do their job. I think if everyone’s just concentrating on doing their part, we’ll all come together better as a group.”

As for whether he’ll return to the form that earned him an invite to the National Hockey League’s prospects camp last season, he said directly, “I guarantee it.”

McCue leaves team

Veteran defenseman Matt McCue, 18, has left the Chiefs, the team confirmed.

McCue has played all 84 games of his WHL career with the Chiefs. He was a healthy scratch on Tuesday.

The team is trying to work out a trade for the 6-foot-5, 201-pounder from Cochrane, Alberta.