WHL Playoffs: Spokane Chiefs survive second-round slugfest, meet familiar foe Portland in Western Conference finals
It was a battle of attrition, but after a Game 6 double-overtime 5-4 win on Tuesday, the Spokane Chiefs outlasted the Victoria Royals to advance to the Western Hockey League Western Conference finals.
There they will meet a familiar foe – U.S. Division rival Portland Winterhawks. The Chiefs have met Portland 12 times in the playoffs dating back to 1986, with Portland leading the series 8-4. In their most recent postseason meeting, the Chiefs and Winterhawks met in the first round of the 2019 playoffs, with Spokane winning 4-1 before falling in the Western Conference finals.
Game 1 is Friday at 7:05 p.m. at the Arena. Game 2 is Sunday at 5:05, then the series shifts to Portland for Games 3, 4 and 5 (if necessary).
“They’re a really, really good team,” Chiefs forward Andrew Cristall said. “They like to get up the ice really well. They’re really good on transition and capitalizing on their opportunities. So, it’s gonna be a lot of fun to play against them and go up against another great opponent.”
Cristall, the WHL regular-season scoring leader with 132 points, paced the Chiefs in their conference semifinal series win with 13 goals and 28 points, tied with teammate Berkly Catton.
“He’s a clutch guy,” Chiefs forward Shea Van Olm – who had a hat trick Tuesday night – said. “He loves these big moments, as we all do, and he’s proving his clutch gene. It’s awesome to see”
“He’s a big player in our league and on our team, along with a few other guys,” Chiefs coach Brad Lauer said. “But he’s one of those kids that understands the moment he’s in. And he’s got a knack to be around the net, around the puck.”
Lauer has a healthy respect for their upcoming opponents, who upset the top-seeded Everett in seven games to reach the conference finals.
“They’re playing well,” he said. “One thing with Portland is that they went far last year in the playoffs. So, a lot of those guys have been through it before. You know, our group is just new into it. Their group has been through it, so they know what to expect going through the playoffs already with their experience.”
Last year, Portland knocked off top Western Conference seed Prince George and reached the WHL finals, falling to Moose Jaw in four games.
This year, the Chiefs went 4-2 against Portland, outscoring the Winterhawks 29-19, including winning all three games the teams played at the Arena. Spokane (45-20-1-2) was 19 points better than Portland (36-28-3-1) in the regular season.
Van Olm said if the Chiefs stick to playing their game, the results should speak for themselves.
“I think the focus, you know, just like every series, is about us. With any team that’s in our way, obviously, it’s about us, the guys in here, playing our DNA, our structure, and playing the right way.”
That said, he doesn’t take Portland lightly.
“Obviously, two U.S. Division teams, there’s a little bit of a battle there, and we’ve had some very close games all season. So, yeah, we’re excited. And, you know, credit to Portland for getting the Game 7 win.”
Van Olm knows of what he speaks. He and Lauer won a WHL title and played in the Memorial Cup in 2022 when both were with Edmonton.
“I’ve been through this a lot of times, and it’s a long, long journey,” Van Olm said. “I think for guys, it’ll be kind of a wake up call that we’re only halfway there, and we’ve got to do what we just did all over again to go all the way.”
Full schedule
Game 1: Friday, 7:05 p.m., Arena
Game 2: Sunday, 5:05 p.m., Arena
Game 3: Wednesday, 7 p.m., Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland
Game 4: Thursday, 7 p.m., Memorial Coliseum
Game 5: May 3, 6 p.m., Memorial Coliseum
Game 6: May 5, 7:05 p.m., Arena
Game 7: May 6, 7:05 p.m., Arena (if necessary)
Catton wins sportsmanship award
On Wednesday, the WHL announced that Chiefs captain Berkly Catton was awarded the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy as the WHL’s Most Sportsmanlike Player for the 2024-25 season.
Catton is the fifth Spokane player to earn the award and the first since Eli Zummack in 2020-21.
The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, product passed the century mark in scoring for a second consecutive season with 38 goals and 71 assists for 109 points in 57 games.
Catton finished third in the WHL scoring race and ranked 12th in goals, fourth in assists and fifth in plus/minus (+46) while posting a career-low 30 penalty minutes.