Winterhawks edge Chiefs

Sven Bartschi scored one goal and assisted on two others as the Portland Winterhawks and Spokane Chiefs returned to form with their fourth one-goal game in the five games of their Western Hockey League playoff seriers.

The Winterhawks took a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 Western Conference finals with a 3-2 win . All three Portland wins have been by one goal.

Only Spokane’s 8-3 rout on Friday in Game 4 wasn’t close.

The Chiefs took a 1-0 lead 59 seconds in and that held up until Bartschi scored with 33 seconds left in the second. He assisted on two third-period goals but the Chiefs cut it back to one a minute after the Winterhawks final score. Tyler Johnson had Spokane’s first goal, Mitch Holmberg had the second.

James Reid made 39 saves for the Chiefs, Mac Carruth had 40 for the Winterhawks. Ty Rattie scored the tie-breaking goal and Craig Cunningham had the game winner.

3 stars: 3, Mac Carruth. 2, Ty Rattie. 1, Sven Bartschi.

Long box below

Winterhawks 3, Chiefs 2

PORTLAND – Saturday

First period

1, Spo, Johnson 7 (Koper, Gal) :59.

Penalties – None

Second period

2, Por, Bartschi 3 (Morrow, Rattie) 19:27.

Penalties – Kuhn, Spo (high sticking) 2:54; Ross, Por (tripping) 6:59; Baldwin, Spo (slasing) 17:15.

Third period

3, Por, Rattie 5 (Aronson, Bartschi) 5:22.

4, Por, Cunning 6 (Bartschi) 11:47.

5, Spo, Holmberg 6 (Mort) 12:57.

Penalties –

Shots on goal by
Spokane     12-15-14_41

Portland     13-15-15_43

Goal (shots-saves) — Spokane: Reid (L, 10-6-0) 43-40. Portland: Carruth (W, 11-3-1) 41-39.

Power plays (goals-chances) — Spokane 0-1, Portland 0-2.

Referees — Devin Kelin, Pat Smith. Linesmen — Justin Hull, Nathan Van Oosten.

Attendance – 9,486.

Scratches – Spokane: Cole Hamblin, Brady Brassart, Reid Gow, Collin Valcourt. Portland: Brendan Burke, Josh Hanson, Brett Ponich, Chase De Leo, Oliver Gabriel, Pearce Eviston, Mathew Ius, Jason Trott.