Aviani’s hat trick leads Chiefs past Raiders

PRINCE ALBERT, Saskatchewan – Mike Aviani had his first career hat trick as part of a four-point night to help the Spokane Chiefs beat the Prince Albert Raiders 7-4 in Western Hockey League action Tuesday night.

The win was Spokane’s 11th in its past 14 games, and the Chiefs (20-7-1-0, 41 points) improved to 9-0 against East Division teams over the past two years. They are now 3-0 on their six-game road trip through the East.

After the Raiders opened the scoring on a power play at 16:10 of the first period, Aviani answered with his first goal of the night, a power-play marker a little over a minute later. He scored again at 4:49 of the second period to give Spokane a 2-1 lead.

Todd Fiddler’s goal – his 10th in the past six games, and fourth game in a row with a goal – at 10:37 pushed the lead to 3-1 before Aviani scored again less than two minutes later to make it 4-1.

After Prince Albert scored once in the second period and twice more in the third to forge a tie, Collin Valcourt scored his 10th goal of the season at 16:57 of the third period to give the Chiefs a lead they would not relinquish.

Liam Stewart tallied his seventh goal 38 seconds later to give Spokane some breathing room, and Connor Chartier scored a shorthanded empty-net goal at 19:48 to complete the scoring.

In addition to the goal, which moved him into a tie for the most goals in the WHL, Fiddler had two assists in his first game in Prince Albert since being traded by the Raiders to Spokane a year ago in the Anthony Bardaro deal. Eric Williams, also part of the trade, made 24 saves for the Chiefs.

Brendon Kichton, Blake Gal and Reid Gow also had two assists apiece for Spokane.

The Chiefs continue their trip tonight against the Saskatoon Blades at 5.