Spokane sets out to solve Tri-City

Go figure.

The same year the Spokane Chiefs are one of the Western Hockey League’s top clubs, their U.S. Division rivals are also a league powerhouse.

That’s what makes the division race so intriguing this season. It’s also what makes Saturday night’s home matchup with the Tri-City Americans essentially a must-win game for the Chiefs.

“We’ve got to win this one,” Chiefs sniper Drayson Bowman said after the Chiefs defeated Everett 2-1 on Tuesday night. “(Tri-City) is pulling ahead of us in the standings and if we can win it will give us a four-point swing, so we’ve got to make sure we show up against them.”

That has been easier said than done for Spokane.

With 11 games left in the regular season, the playoff-bound Chiefs (42-13-1-5, 90 points) have a chance to regain the division and Western Conference lead this weekend, beginning tonight when they wrap up their season series with the Everett Silvertips at the Arena.

If the Chiefs win, they will be tied for first in the conference and division standings with the Americans (44-13-2-2, 92 points) – who are idle tonight – with one game in hand heading into Saturday night’s showdown.

There’s a problem, though.

In four meetings at the Arena this season, the Chiefs have yet to defeat the Americans. If history is an indicator, the odds are stacked against them. Spokane’s overall record against Tri-City is 3-3-1-2. The Chiefs are an underwhelming 1 for 39 on the power play against the Americans and have allowed Tri-City to score three short-handed goals.

On the other hand, the Chiefs’ 7-2 loss to the Ams on Feb. 9 was followed up with a 3-1 victory last Saturday in Kennewick that snapped the Americans nine-game winning streak.

“That’s done with,” Chiefs captain Chris Bruton said. “We’ve won three in a row (since the 7-2 loss) and one of those was against Tri, so I thought we responded very well to that, and we’ll continue to do the things we’ve done to get the results we did last time.”

If the Chiefs could win their final three regular-season meetings with the Americans, and don’t hit a slump elsewhere, there’s a good chance they will clinch one of the top two seeds in the conference – depending on what the defending Memorial Cup champion Vancouver Giants (41-13-2-5, 89 points) do in the B.C. Division.

Either way, the Chiefs are looking forward to another shot at the Americans – who have lost two straight – on home ice.

“We’re just glad to be in the position, again, to take these guys on at home,” said Bruton. “We felt that we let it slip last time and we’re certainly looking forward to another intense rivalry game that we will hopefully win.”

Bruton said the key is discipline.

“Tri-City is very efficient on the power play, and when we’ve given them opportunities they have capitalized,” he said. “At the same time, we have to take care of the puck when we have it and work hard at making the most of our opportunities.”

Ice chips

Bowman’s 36 goals tie him for second in the league with Regina’s Jordan Eberle. Bowman and Eberle are nine shy of Tri-City’s Colton Yellow Horn, who leads the league with 45 goals. Yellow Horn scored four goals in their last meeting with the Chiefs at the Arena. … Bruton leads the league in plus/minus with a plus-33.