Spokane Chiefs lose two-goal lead, fall in shootout to Portland Winterhawks

PORTLAND – Joachim Blichfeld scored twice in the third period to tie it and was the only shooter successful in a shootout and the Portland Winterhawks overcame the Spokane Chiefs 5-4 on Friday at Moda Center in Western Hockey League action.

The Chiefs (22-23-6-2, 52 points, ninth in Western Conference) fall to 10 points behind Portland for the final playoff spot in the conference with 18 games left in regular season.

Twice Spokane held two-goal leads. Keanu Yamamoto’s power-play goal, his 20th overall this season, made it 3-1 3 1/2 minutes into the second period.

That lead lasted 90 seconds, as Portland’s Henri Jokiharju recorded his seventh of the campaign to make it 3-2.

The Chiefs restored the two-goal cushion midway through the frame on Jaret Anderson-Dolan’s 30th goal of the season, assisted by both Yamamotos. It was Anderson-Dolan’s sixth straight game goal, the longest such current streak in the league.

It stayed that way until nearly eight minutes into the third, when Blichfeld got his first of the game and 20th of the season. Blichfeld tied it with a little more than 4 1/2 minutes left.

Hudson Elynuik started the scoring with a shot from the left wing at 5:12 of the first period with his 19th of the season. Taylor Ross added his fifth of the campaign with a tip-in at the end of the first.

The Chiefs host Tri-City on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at the Arena.