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Spokane Chiefs

Special teams dominate, Berkly Catton late goal lifts Spokane Chiefs over Kamloops 3-2

Spokane Chiefs winger Lukas Kral celebrates his second period goal against Kamloops on Oct. 11, 2023 at Spokane Arena.   (Spokane Chiefs)

For much of Wednesday’s Western Hockey League game at the Arena, the Spokane Chiefs and the Kamloops Blazers had ample opportunity to practice their special teams, as the teams were whistled for a total of 12 infractions throughout the evening. 

So, it only made sense that special teams decided it late. 

Two minutes after the Chiefs killed a 5-minute major late in the third period, center Berkly Catton slammed home a power play goal – the home team’s third of the night – with 2 1/2 minutes left in the game and the home team edged the Blazers 3-2.

The win halted a three-game losing streak for the Chiefs (3-3-0-0).

“We talked about that the last couple days. We needed a win,” Chiefs coach Ryan Smith said. “I wasn’t particularly worried about how we got the win. I thought we played quite well.”

Tied at 2-2 with 9 1/2 minutes left in the game, Chiefs winger Ty Cheveldayoff got tied up behind the play with Blazers defenseman Vojtech Vochvest, who went down in discomfort. After several minutes on the ice, Vochvest needed to be helped off and Cheveldayoff received a 5-minute major for kneeing and a game misconduct.

But the Chiefs killed off the infraction, with several key saves by goalie Cooper Michaluk. It gave the bench a boost.

“That was huge,” Catton said. 

“I thought our PK was unbelievable,” winger Chase Bertholet said. “The energy on the bench was probably the highest it’s been all year. Five minutes, late in the period – it’s a pretty big deal.”

Smith was impressed with the effort by his penalty kill. 

“It’s hard work. It’s not easy. They could have scored five that time,” he said. “It was a big moment in the game and maybe a turning point in the third period.”

Catton answered a few moments later. With Kamloops’ Ryan Nolan off for holding, Bertholet carried the puck along the left wall, drawing a defender. He left it for Brayden Crampton at the point, who found Catton camped across the ice at the right dot. 

Catton wound up for a slapshot that got through Blazers goalie Dylan Ernst for the go-ahead goal with 2:23 to go. All the Chiefs had to do from there was defend that tenuous lead.

“I got a one-timer for the first time this year and was kinda lucky it went in,” Catton said. “It was a good pass by (Crampton) and maybe a little bit of luck involved in that one.”

“It was a heck of a shot,” Smith said of the go-ahead goal. “Power play had timely goals tonight. They got all three for us, which is huge. Huge goal by Berkly, but set up by some terrific penalty kill by our goalie and the guys that were out there.”

Things did not start well.

The first shot of the game came from Kamloops winger Shea Van Olm, a wrister from the left wing that surprised Michaluk and ended in the back of the net just 40 seconds in.

Michaluk (28 saves) was sharper midway through the period when he snagged one with the glove hand after a long outlet pass sprung a 2-on-1 rush.

With about 2 minutes left in the period, Catton made a nifty move at the blue line to enter the zone alone, but his shot was deflected into the left corner by Ernst.

The second period saw six penalties called, with the Chiefs benefitting five power plays to one.

With 5:36 left in the second period and the Blazers’ Ashton Tait off for kneeing, Spokane won an offensive zone draw and Saige Weinstein shuffled it to Lukáš Král, whose wrist shot from the left point beat Ernst to tie it at 1.

Kamloops’ Matteo Koci took liberties with Cheveldayoff in a scrum at the right post 2 minutes later and received a roughing minor.

Conner Roulette feathered the puck to a streaking Crampton in the slot, and the defenseman made the perfect pass count to give the Chiefs a 2-1 lead with 1:58 left in the period.

The fifth Chiefs power play of the period carried 1:20 over to the start of the third. But it was Kamloops (1-3-2-0) that converted, as Connor Levis won a loose puck in the neutral zone, gained the blue line and fed Emmitt Finnie to tie it with a shorthanded goal.

The Chiefs host the Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday at the Arena at 6:05 p.m.