Chiefs will play game at EWU

Hockey: As usual, the Spokane Chiefs will play in two preseason tournaments before playing one game in Spokane prior to the Western Hockey League season.

The team announced its preseason schedule on Thursday.

The Chiefs will play in the Everett tournament Sept. 2-4 and then the Tri-City tournament, which features all five U.S. Division teams, the next week.

Spokane, which reached the Western Conference finals last season under new coach Don Nachbaur, plays seven preseason games, capped by a visit from the Tri-City Americans on Sept. 15 at at Eastern Washington University.

The first three games are in Everett. On Friday, Sept. 2, the Chiefs face Seattle, followed by a Saturday game with the host Silvertips and a Sunday game with Portland, which knocked Spokane out of the playoffs.

At Tri-City, the Chiefs play Seattle again on Friday, Sept. 9 followed by a Saturday game with the Americans.

They close the preseason by going to Tri-City for a game on Sept. 17.

  Dave Trimmer

Zags will play Cats in Seattle

Basketball: The Gonzaga men’s basketball team will take on the University of Arizona on Dec. 17 in the State Farm Battle in Seattle at KeyArena, promoter Idol Sports and Entertainment announced.

Arizona owns a 4-0 record in the all-time series between the schools. The teams last met in Phoenix in 2008, a 69-64 Arizona win.

Tickets for the Battle in Seattle will go on sale Sept. 17 at all Ticketmaster outlets. The Spokane-only presale will be Sept. 10 through area Ticketmaster outlets.