Ice break away from Chiefs

The Spokane Chiefs faltered late for the second consecutive game, looking like a team beset with injured players and playing its third game in four nights.

The Kootenay Ice were more than willing to take advantage of the situation, breaking open a close game early in the third period for a 6-3 win over Spokane on Saturday night in Western Hockey League play at the Arena.

Kootenay got goals 22 seconds apart to extend its lead from one goal to three as Spokane (69 points) dropped its second consecutive game and fell into a tie with Seattle for third place in the U.S. Division.

The Ice got a one-timer from close range by Ryan Russell at the 6:10 mark of the third, then another by Andrew Bailey at the 6:32 mark to take a 5-2 lead.

After the two goals, Derek Ryan scored for Spokane at 14:12. Then Dan DaSilva extended Kootenay’s lead back to three goals at 17:01 to close out the scoring. The game then broke out into a series of fights, including some after the final horn.

The third-period goals were the first scoring since the teams played a wild first period, in which five goals were scored, followed by a defensive-minded second period, with Kootenay taking a 3-2 lead after two.

The Chiefs took the game’s initial lead when Michael Grabner scored his sixth goal in three games. Grabner got behind the Kootenay defense, making his way between the circles, then shooting over an Ice defenseman.

Grabner’s goal came on the power play at the 7:31 mark, but Kootenay came back. Russell scored a power-play goal for the Ice at the 8:11 mark, just 6 seconds into an extra-man advantage, on a one-timer after a pass through the crease.

Kootenay extended its lead to 2-1 at the 9:34 mark when Clayton Bauer had the first of his two goals. After two stops by Spokane goalie Dustin Tokarski, Bauer gathered the puck at the left circle and scored.

Spokane tied the game at the 16:30 mark of the first when David Rutherford had an athletic goal on a 2-on-1.

The Ice came right back. Bauer beat Tokarski on the short side – despite the effort of a sliding Sean Zimmerman at the 17:31 mark of the first.

It stayed that way through the second, as the goalies kept the game tight while the teams traded off playing much of the period on the penalty kill.