Sam Oremba scores game-winner with 1.4 seconds left, Spokane Chiefs edge Wenatchee on road 4-3

Sam Oremba scored a breakaway goal with 1.4 seconds left in the third period and the Spokane Chiefs edged the Wenatchee Wild 4-3 in a Western Hockey League U.S. Division game at the Town Toyota Center in Wenatchee on Sunday.

With the score tied at 3 late in the third, the Wild earned an offensive zone faceoff. With just a few seconds left, Chiefs forward Owen Martin blocked a shot from Luka Shcherbyna and the rebound sprung Oremba near center ice. He split the defense, raced the length of the ice undefended, faked Wild goalie Tobias Tvrznik then slotted a wrister for his 13th goal of the season.

The Chiefs outshot Wenatchee 45-28 and goalie Carter Esler made 25 saves. Spokane went 1 for 4 on the power play, upping its league-lowest success rate to 16 of 133 (12.1%) for the season.

After a four-goal second period, it was tied 2-2 until 3 minutes, 48 seconds left in the third. Oremba and Dominik Petr did a good job of driving to the net and the puck squirted to Coco Armstrong on the far post, who banged it home for his 13th goal of the season and a 3-2 lead.

The lead was short-lived as Wenatchee’s Boston Tait rifled a long shot from the point that got past Esler 13 seconds later to even it up again.

The Chiefs (18-17-0-0) got the game’s first power -play opportunity 8:25 into the game, and received another shortly before the original infraction was set to expire. Despite several solid Chiefs chances, the Wild killed off both penalties.

After a scoreless first period, Wenatchee (12-20-1-1) appeared to have scored the game’s first goal nearly five minutes into the second, but it was immediately waived off for goaltender interference and confirmed by review.

Just 30 seconds later, Chiefs forward Brody Gillespie was sent off for roughing, and the Wild made good with Shcherbyna scoring his 14th goal of the season, assisted by Mason Kraft, to make it 1-0. Wenatchee, second worst in the league with the advantage, hadn’t scored in its previous 22 power -play opportunities.

Chiefs forward Gavin Burcar was called for hooking while the public address announcer was calling Shcherbyna’s goal, putting the visitors back on the kill. Wenatchee was successful again, with rookie defenseman Josh Toll scoring his first career WHL goal.

The Chiefs received another man-advantage a little later and this time was successful, with Mathis Preston beating Tvrznik low stickside for his 13th goal of the season.

Chase Harrington tied it with 3:45 left in the second frame. Gillespie carried the puck behind the Wild net and fed Harrington, alone in the slot, for his 13th goal of the season.

The Chiefs face Tri-City on New Year’s Eve at 6:05 p.m. at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.