Leif Mattson scores twice as Spokane Chiefs cruise past Tri-City Americans 7-2 in WHL play

KENNEWICK – The Spokane Chiefs’ special teams were certainly that Saturday night.

The Chiefs went 3 for 3 on the power play and scored two short-handed goals in a 7-2 victory against the host Tri-City Americans.

Leif Mattson scored two goals for Spokane (25-15-4-1), which won its third straight game. Brad Ginnell, Luke Toporowski, Michael King, Bear Hughes and Owen MacNeil also tallied. Toporowski and defenseman Ty Smith each had three assists, and goaltender James Porter Jr. made 17 saves.

Jayden Platz and Sasha Mutala scored for Tri-City (14-25-4-1), which suffered its sixth consecutive defeat. Americans goalie Ronin Geraghty stopped 41 of 48 shots.

The Chiefs scored two short-handed goals on the same Tri-City power play early in the second period to break a 1-all tie. Mattson gave the Chiefs the lead at 3:25 off assists from Toporowski and Smith. Toporowski scored at 4:05 off a pass from Mattson to make it 3-1.

Mattson’s second goal made it 4-2 through two periods and the Chiefs pulled away in the third.