Spokane comes up big
In January 2006, Kevin Armstrong came to Spokane and put on a Chiefs sweater as part of a two-player deal with the Saskatoon Blades.
Good move.
Armstrong stopped 20 shots, rookie defenseman Jared Cowen netted the game-winning goal and added an assist, and the Chiefs earned a 3-2 Western Hockey League victory in front of 5,273 fans on Friday night at the Arena.
“He was excited about getting the start against Saskatoon, a team he started out his Western Hockey League career with, and I thought he was very good,” Chiefs coach Bill Peters said. “He made some big saves when we needed them there at the end.”
In the last three meetings between the Blades and Chiefs, Spokane (6-2-1-1) has won 3-2. Two years ago it was at the Arena and last year in Saskatoon, where Armstrong had 18 saves, as the Chiefs improved to 12-4 against the Blades since 1995-96.
“It’s always good to beat your old team, I guess,” said Armstrong. “The guys played well in front of me, and made it easy for me, and we just bore down and got it done.
“We gain some momentum going on the road. It’s good to get those two points and move on.”
Cowen’s winner came at 10 minutes, 13 seconds in the third period. Chiefs captain Chris Bruton found Cowen, the top overall draft pick in the 2006 WHL Bantam Draft, in the high slot and Cowen swatted the puck between Saskatoon goalie Braden Holtby’s legs.
“We took a few penalties that we didn’t need to, but overall we came away with the win, and that’s big for us,” said Cowen, a native of Allan, Saskatchewan.
“It felt really good. That’s two (goals I’ve scored) now (overall), so it feels good to be on kind of a roll.”
The Chiefs got on the board first in the opening period when leading scorer Drayson Bowman scored his seventh goal of the season on assists from Jared Spurgeon and import winger Ondrej Roman during a power play at 5:59.
Bowman was called for goaltender interference at 10:20 to set up the Blades’ (3-6-1-0) first power play of the game and Saskatoon’s Colton Gillies converted to even the score at 1 before the first flood.
The Blades took the 2-1 lead at 10:13 in the second, converting on another power play, when Stefan Elliot set up teammate Ondrej Fiala.
“We came out and were okay from the get-go,” Peters said, “but we took two penalties that resulted in goals. Both penalties were plays in the offensive zone, and each time we’ve done that it makes it a lot tougher than it needs to be.”
Spokane native Tyler Johnson scored the third goal of his WHL career on assists from Cowen and forward Ryan Letts at 17:08 to even the score at 2 before the end of the second.
“Overall, we found a way to win,” Peters said. “It was a tight game all the way through and then Jared Cowen made the play with Chris Bruton coming down the wall. So (Cowen) stepped up and I’m sure he feels real good about that tonight.”
The Chiefs take their three-game winning streak on the road tonight to face the Kelowna Rockets, a team they defeated 2-1 last weekend at the Arena. Spokane will be tested on Sunday, as the Chiefs head to Vancouver to take on the defending Memorial Cup champs.
“It’s always exciting to go in there,” Peters said. “(Vancouver) will be a great test for us. You’ve got to live in the present, though, and just take it day-by-day starting with Kelowna tomorrow. The thing you can’t do is get too far ahead of yourself, but what you can do is prepare everyday and give it your best effort.”
Ice chips
Prior to the game, the crowd observed a moment of silence for Roy McBride, who died Sunday in Saskatoon at age 87. McBride was a player and coach with the Spokane Flyers. … Chiefs forward Levko Koper took a hit in the first period and is questionable for tonight’s game in Kelowna. … David Rutherford is still listed as day-to-day with a groin injury. He won’t play tonight or Sunday and is doubtful for Tuesday’s home game against Brandon.