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Spokane Chiefs

Spokane Chiefs continues tear with 5-2 win over Prince George at the Arena

The Spokane Chiefs were enjoying a very good offensive season before the blockbuster trade that netted forward Andrew Cristall from Kelowna last week. But with the Washington Capitals draft pick added to the lineup, the team is firing on all cylinders.  

Berkly Catton and Shea Van Olm had a goal and an assist apiece, Cristall added two helpers and the Chiefs downed the Prince George Cougars 5-2 in a Western Hockey League game at the Arena on Friday. 

The Chiefs (29-14-0-0) have won three straight by a combined score of 27-4.

“It’s been awesome,” Catton said of the three-game stretch. “I think we’re clicking right now, especially those first two periods tonight. I thought we were really good. And you know, it’s fun when you play that type of hockey.”

“If we play the right way and do the right things, you hope to give yourself opportunities to score goals,” Chiefs coach Brad Lauer said. “We’ve been very fortunate to capitalize on some of those opportunities and score some big goal games. But by no means are you planning to do that. It’s all about the team.”

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Cristall said of his first four games with the Chiefs. “I think also it’s coming from everybody down the lineup. A lot of guys are chipping in, so it’s a lot of fun to be a part of right now.” 

Cristall joined Catton and Van Olm on the Chiefs top line and No. 1 power play unit.

“With him, it’s like, just get open and the pucks on your stick,” Catton said. “I think our line has a great little combination of speed, skill, smarts, grit.”

Not only does Cristall add elite skill to the Chiefs first line, but he opens up the ice for his new teammates.

“With my skill set, I can kind of try and get other guys in open areas and drag two people to me and maybe get a look for a teammate,” Cristall said. “So, it’s part of my game and I just try to try to make everybody else around me better when I’m on the ice.”

“(Cristall) is an exceptional player,” Lauer said. “Just like with (Catton). And when you get two of them on your team, that can create a lot of opportunity for other players on the ice. They’re special players to have and they’re fun as a coach.

“It’s our job, our responsibility, to make sure we’re doing it the right way now and get them on board as quick as we can to how our team game is and how we play.”

The win is the first in a five-game homestand for the Chiefs against some of the WHL’s top teams. PG is second in the B.C. Division. Saturday’s opponent Lethbridge is second in the Central while Everett and Medicine Hat coming up are division leaders.

“It’s a big, big home stand and we’ve got the crowds behind us,” Cristall said. “So hopefully we’re gonna keep winning and get on a roll.”

“This is playoff hockey for us,” Lauer said. “It was a good test tonight, and obviously (Saturday) night will be another good test. These are really good teams that made a lot of moves, too, that want to win the championship. So, we’ll see what we have. But it’s a good measuring stick for our staff.”

“It’s almost a series, I guess, to see how we kind of stand up against the best teams in the league,” Catton said. “So, you know, good start tonight. And we’re gonna continue that this next couple.”

The Chiefs scored twice in the first 92 seconds of the game. Defenseman Will McIsaac scored his second of the season from Cristall and Van Olm, then Chase Harrington knocked in his 13th from Mathis Preston and McIsaac. 

The game then devolved into a special teams exhibition, as 18 minor penalties resulted in power plays the rest of the way. 

Catton added a power play goal at 13:09 of the first, his 19th goal of the season. 

Terik Parascak got the Cougars (24-13-3-2) on the board on the second, but Van Olm scored on the power play for his league-leading 32nd marker of the season and Coco Armstrong added a short-handed goal to close the Chiefs scoring.