Compton scores winner for Chiefs

KELOWNA, British Columbia – Seth Compton’s wrist shot from the left wing off a pass from Jared Cowen with 4 minutes, 35 seconds remaining in regulation gave the Spokane Chiefs a 4-3 Western Hockey League victory over the Kelowna Rockets in front of 6,127 Saturday night at Prospera Place.

Chris Langkow and Judd Blackwater each had a goal and an assist to pace the Chiefs’ offensive attack. It was Langkow’s first multipoint game of the season.

Spokane, which has won four consecutive games, outshot Kelowna 28-19, including 13-3 in the decisive third period when the Chiefs overcame a 3-2 deficit after two periods.

Goaltender Torrie Jung stopped 24 shots in a losing effort for the Rockets (4-6-1-0, 9 points, fourth in B.C. Division), who have lost three straight after a three-game winning streak.

The Chiefs (7-2-1-1, 16 points, second in U.S. Division) opened the scoring when Langkow scored on the power play at 15:37 of the first period for his first goal of the season.

Kelowna answered with consecutive goals 2:36 apart – the first by Tyson Barrie 38 seconds into the second period on the power play and the second by Justin Bernhardt – to take a 2-1 lead. Spokane answered back at 3:52 when Blackwater tallied his third goal of the season.

Brandon McMillan scored short-handed at 7:16 to put Kelowna back out front 3-2.

With Jamie Benn off for interference with the goaltender right before the end of the second period, Spokane capitalized on the man advantage and Jared Spurgeon scored his second goal of the season 47 seconds into the third period to knot the score again at 3.

The Chiefs have won the first two games of their four-games-in-five-nights schedule odyssey. They beat Saskatoon 3-2 at home on Friday night in the first game. They play at defending Memorial Cup-champion Vancouver tonight.