Spokane Chiefs blitzed in 8-3 loss to Tri-City Americans

Vladislav Lukin scored twice and the Tri-City Americans broke open a competitive game with three goals in a four-minute spurt in the third period to down the Spokane Chiefs 8-3 at the Toyota Center in Kennewick in Western Hockey League action on Saturday.

The Chiefs (20-22-6-2, 48 points) remain in ninth place, five points behind Portland for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Tri-City’s Kyle Olsen and Dylan Coghlan scored before most folks had bought their popcorn and sodas, registering goals 1:27 and 2:16 into the first. Jaret Anderson-Dolan answered two minutes later to halve the deficit, but the Am’s Parker Worthington got that one back 25 seconds later to make it 3-1.

Tri-City scored on each of its first three shots.

Lukin scored his first of the night midway through the first and the Chiefs trailed 4-1 after one.

Hudson Elynuik picked up his 18th of the season midway through the second on a breakaway, then after another Americans goal, Eli Zummack scored his fifth in seven games and seventh of the season before the end of the second and it was a game at 5-3.

That’s before Tri-City scored three times down the stretch in rapid succession to blow it open. Lukin’s second of the game, his 21st of the season, came on a breakaway after several altercations in the period.

The Chiefs opens a three-game homestand Medicine Hat on Friday at 7:05 p.m.