Chiefs take opener
What remains to be seen is whether the Lethbridge Hurricanes will find their voice in time to chime in on the outcome of the Western Hockey League championship series.
That kind of question just doesn’t get answered in one game – especially when it comes to playoff hockey. After the Hurricanes’ recent nine-day hiatus, Spokane Chiefs coach Bill Peters said he knows his team’s opponent will be better tonight.
What 7,306 people witnessed on Friday night, though, was that the Chiefs had something to say – a loud message that was delivered in the form of two Drayson Bowman goals and the stifling Spokane defense that allowed the Chiefs to roll over the Hurricanes in a 4-1 victory at the Arena to open the WHL final.
Game 2 is tonight at the Arena before the series moves north to Alberta for Games 3, 4 and – if necessary – 5. The winner of the best-of-7 series will head to Kitchener, Ontario, for the Memorial Cup tournament.
“It’s definitely great to tilt the ice right off the bat and show them what we’re all about,” said Chiefs defenseman Jared Spurgeon – referring to a first period in which the Chiefs didn’t allow a single shot on netminder Dustin Tokarski.
Tokarski faced 14 shots in 60 minutes – seven in the second period and seven in the third.
“It was a group effort – we all worked hard there and got the pucks in deep,” said Spurgeon, who finished with two assists. “We just played our game.”
The Chiefs certainly played their game – almost flawlessly.
Bowman’s first goal – his ninth of the playoffs – came 1 minute and 32 seconds into the game on a power play to begin a string of three periods in which the Chiefs scored on their first shot. The Carolina Hurricanes prospect scored again 47 seconds into the second period to give the Chiefs a 2-0 lead before Lethbridge had taken a shot.
“I think we felt good,” said Bowman. “It was good to just keep it rolling and not have too big of a break like they did. As far as getting the first goal, it was big.”
Tyler Johnson also scored in the second, forcing a turnover in the neutral zone and taking the puck in for a short-handed goal on Lethbridge goalie Juha Metsola, who finished with 21 saves in his third loss of the playoffs.
The Chiefs’ fourth score, a power-play goal 1:30 into the third, came from Judd Blackwater as the Chiefs went 2 for 7 on the power play.
“We talked about it going into the playoffs – don’t expect to be at 20 (or) 21 percent (on the power play),” said Peters of the improved performance from his team with the advantage.
“Our power play is very good, we have skilled guys on it – we have different guys we can use,” he said. “We had the No.1 power play in the Western Hockey League during the regular season over 72 games and you can’t do that if you don’t have skill and a little bit of system in behind it.”
The Hurricanes did manage to spoil Tokarski’s shutout bid 15:55 into the third period when Adam Chorneyko sneaked a shot into Tokarski’s five-hole.
“We know they will be better, our guys understand that and we’ve got a little bit more to give to, but it was good for us to see them live – now we can watch video of them versus us instead of them against Calgary, against Brandon … I think that’s important for our group.
“Did we see their A game? No, but we’ll see it tomorrow for sure.”