Will McIsaac scores go-ahead goal in third; Spokane Chiefs down Vancouver on the road

From staff reports

LANGLEY, B.C. – Will McIsaac scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and the Spokane Chiefs won their third game in as many nights, a 5-2 decision over the Vancouver Giants at Langley Events Centre on Saturday.

The Chiefs (33-16-0-0) scored 20 goals over the three games. Sixteen-year-old goalie Carter Esler made 39 saves.

McIsaac, who had a four-assist game Saturday in the Chiefs’ 10-3 win at Everett, took a pass from Owen Martin near the blue line, cruised to the top of the circle, and unleashed a wrist shot past Vancouver goalie Burke Hood for his third goal of the season with 9:45 left in the game.

The Chiefs added a pair of empty -net goals late, once each by Andrew Cristall and Shea Van Olm – the second goal of the game for each. Van Olm leads the league with 39 goals, Cristall not far behind with 34.

After a scoreless first period, Cristall put the Chiefs on the board less than five minutes into the second. Defenseman Rhett Sather made a nifty between-the-legs, backhand pass to the far post, where Cristall tapped it in for his 33rd goal of the season.

Less than five minutes later, Van Olm potted his league-leading 38th goal of the season, banging home a rebound of a Cristall shot on the power play.

Vancouver (24-19-6-0) halved the deficit just 58 seconds later, as Cameron Schmidt scored an unassisted goal for his 34th of the season.

The Giants tied it early in the third on Tyler Thorpe’s 21st goal of the season.

Spokane had 46 shots on goal and went 1 for 3 on the power play. The Chiefs are off until Friday when they host Seattle at the Arena at 7:05 p.m.