Calgary import Andrei Molgachev records hat trick, Spokane Chiefs blanked by Hitmen 5-0
CALGARY, Alberta – The Spokane Chiefs finished Saturday’s 3-2 win over Red Deer around 6 p.m. Pacific, traveled to Calgary, then faced off against the Hitmen at 1 p.m. Sunday. So it was a quick turnaround to play their fifth of a season-high six game road trip.
The visitors played like they were tired, and spent much of the game killing off minor penalties.
Russian import Andrei Molgachev recorded a hat trick and the Calgary Hitmen shut out the Chiefs 5-0 in a Western Hockey League game Sunday at Scotiabank Saddledome .
Calgary goalie Eric Tu made 29 saves for his first shutout of the season and second of his WHL career.
The Chiefs (6-5-0-0) were called for two penalties in the first six minutes of the first period, but their eighth-ranked penalty kill got the job done. A few minutes later, though, Calgary (5-3-1-0) broke through when Molgachev beat goalie Carter Esler with a wrist shot on the rush for his fifth goal of the season.
Spokane got its first chance on the power play with 2:23 left in the first, but the WHL’s lowest-ranked power play went empty. Chase Harrington took an interference penalty with 9 seconds left in the advantage and the Chiefs trailed 1-0 after one.
Molgachev made it 2-0 early in the second when Landon Amrhein circled behind the net and found the Russian winger alone at the top of the crease for his second of the game. Harrison Lodewyk pounded home a rebound a few minutes later to put Calgary up 3-0 with his second of the campaign.
Calgary’s Brandon Gorzynski was called for high-sticking, but Mathis Preston negated it with a slashing penalty halfway into the power play. Moments after the 4-on-4 expired, Chiefs defenseman Nathan Mayes was sent off for cross-checking. Mere seconds after that penalty expired, Coco Armstrong took a slashing penalty and Spokane killed that one too.
The Chiefs didn’t get their first shot on goal in the period until 5:45 to go and finished with just two in the second.
The Chiefs came out with good jump at the start of the third, but it was to no avail as Calgary made it 4-0 when Caine Wilke used a toe drag to avoid a defender and beat Esler for his third goal of the season at 5:35 of the period. Molgachev finished the hat trick with a steal and backhanded goal with 8:42 left in the game.
Spokane went 0 for 2 on the power play and is now 3 for 39 (7.6%) on the season. The Chiefs went 5 for 5 on the kill.
The Chiefs finish the road trip on Tuesday at Edmonton.