Chiefs honor trio

Three Chiefs played their final regular-season game on Arena ice Friday night.

Forwards Chris Bruton, Judd Blackwater and David Rutherford – Spokane’s three 20-year-olds – were honored in a pregame ceremony, where the team also announced its 2007-08 award winners.

Rutherford, a two-year veteran who missed 18 games early in the season, has scored 21 goals this season and assisted on 20.

Blackwater has netted a career-high 28 goals, second on the club, and 56 points. In his three-year career, Blackwater has played 168 games.

Bruton, the team captain, was also presented with a share of the Player’s Player (voted on only by the 23 players) award and Humanitarian of the Year.

Bruton is a four-year veteran and has played in 256 career games, scored 58 goals and notched 79 assists for 137 points. He was also the Player’s Player last season and picked up the Humanitarian Award for the second time in his career.

Drayson Bowman was named player of the year, Seth Compton was picked the co-Player’s Player and defensemen Jared Spurgeon and Jared Cowen were both honored twice as the Chiefs handed out seven awards.

Spurgeon was honored as the John “Hitman” Hern Defenseman of the Year as well as the Ken Rabel Most Sportsmanlike Player and Cowen was picked as the Rookie of the Year and Most Scholastic Player for maintaining a 3.67 grade-point average at Ferris High School.