Grabner, Chiefs dominate

PORTLAND – Michael Grabner had his third hat trick in two weeks as the Spokane Chiefs posted a 9-1 Western Hockey League road victory over the Portland Winter Hawks on Wednesday night.

The offensive output against the woeful Winter Hawks was Spokane’s best of the season.

Grabner had a goal in each period to give him 13 goals in his last seven games. He has 39 goals on the season, which ties him for second in the WHL.

The win allowed Spokane (34-24-4-3, 75) to move into a third-place tie in the U.S. Division with idle Seattle. Spokane trails Tri-City (80) by just five points.

Spokane also got two goals from defenseman Jared Spurgeon, as well as goals from Derek Ryan, Cody Esposito, Judd Blackwater, and Stephane Lenoski. Dustin Tokarski made 13 saves in net for the win.

The Chiefs broke open a 2-0 game with a four-goal second period and three in the third.

Chiefs forward J.P. Szaszkiewicz, who hadn’t played for two weeks (emergency appendectomy), also returned.

The Chiefs play Everett on Saturday and Tuesday.

Chiefs 9, Winter Hawks 1

First Period—1, Spo, Ryan 24 (Roman, S. Lenoski) 6:45(pp); 2, Spo, Grabner 37 (Blackwater, Hobson) 7:52. Second Period—3,. Spo, Esposito 2 (Wahl, Rutherford) 1:21;4,. Spo, Blackwater 12 (Haw) 9:29; 5, Spo, Spurgeon 3 (Rutherford,. Lenoski) 12:03 (pp); 6, Spo, Grabner 38 (Hobson, Zimmerman) 14:08 (sh); 7, Por, Cepek 2 15:10 (pp). Third Period—8, Spo, Grabner 39 (Zimmerman, Spurgeon) 0:14; 9, Spo, Spurgeon 4 (Szaszkiewicz, Lenoski) 12:37; 10, Spo, Lenoski 5 (Rutherford, Esposito) 15:09. Power-play Opp.—Spokane 2 of 9; Portland 1 of 8. Saves—Spokane, Tokarski 13. Portland, Mucha 9. A—5,739.