Elynuik, Sozanski send Chiefs past Winterhawks in overtime

PORTLAND – Hudson Elynuik and Matt Sozanski are in a groove for the Spokane Chiefs.

Elynuik scored the game-winner in overtime for the second straight game and Sazanski, who hadn’t scored a goal in his first 140 games with the Chiefs has now scored in three straight, as Spokane posted a 5-4 victory over the Portland Winterhawks in Western Hockey League action on Friday at the Moda Center.

With the win, the Chiefs qualified for the postseason for the 10th straight season and they also jumped one point ahead of the Winterhawks for third place in the U.S. Division. Spokane ends the regular season at Tri-City tonight, while Portland plays a home-and-home series against the division-winning Seattle Thunderbirds. If Spokane holds on to third place they would open the playoffs against Everett. If they fall to the eighth seed they would play Victoria.

This one started badly for the Chiefs.

Portland jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period before Nik Anderson found the net for Spokane to cut the lead to 3-1 after 20 minutes.

Keanu Yamamoto, Presten Kopeck and Sozanski scored three straight goals to give Spokane a 4-3 lead. Kailer Yamamoto had assists on all three scores to give him a team-high 51 assists on the season.

Portland tied it a 4-all late in the third period before Elynuik – with an assist from Sozanski for the first two-point game of his career – saved the day.