Chiefs, Thunderbirds to get familiar

Starting Friday, the Spokane Chiefs are going to see a lot of Seattle. The Chiefs and Thunderbirds will play three times in the next six days – Friday and Wednesday at the Arena and Tuesday at ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington. By the time October ends, the Chiefs will have played four of the 10 Western Hockey League games scheduled between the teams this season. The Chiefs (2-1-1-0) have lost their last two games after starting the season with two wins over the Tri-City Americans. Seattle (2-3-0-0) has dropped three of its last four games. Spokane struggled against Seattle last season, finishing 1-5-2-0 after winning seven of the nine games between the teams in 2012-13. The Chiefs are in a stretch in which they play nine of 14 games at home. Center Mathew Barzal, one of the top prospects in the WHL, leads the Thunderbirds with seven points, including six assists. Thunderbirds goalie Taran Kozun ranks sixth in the league in goals-against average (1.99). Left wing Calder Brooks has two assists in two games with the Chiefs since his Sept. 29 trade from Prince Albert. Spokane captain Jason Fram has four points in three games. Liam Stewart leads the Chiefs with three goals, while Spokane native Keanu Yamamoto and Dominic Zwerger have two goals apiece.