Chase Harrington scores twice, has six goal in three games; Spokane Chiefs hammer Tri-City 7-1 on road | WHL hockey

KENNEWICK – Don’t look now, but maybe – just maybe – the Spokane Chiefs are starting to gain some momentum just in time for a stretch run into the playoffs.

Chase Harrington scored twice as part of seven unanswered goals, and the Chiefs beat their U.S. Division rival Tri-City Americans 7-1 at Toyota Center on Saturday.

Harrington has six goals in his last three games and seven in his last five since returning to the lineup after missing six games.

Chiefs goalie Carter Esler made 25 saves in his 16th win of the season.

The sixth-place Chiefs (29-26-1-0, 59 points) have won three in row and inch to within three points of fifth-place Kamloops, which lost 3-2 in overtime to Kelowna. The eighth-place Americans (25-25-3-1, 54 points) have dropped seven in a row.

Tri-City grabbed the early lead as Savin Kirk scored his 23rd of the season at the 11:59 mark of the first period.

It was all Spokane after that.

Tyus Sparks scored his 25th of the season a mere 32 seconds later, and it opened the floodgates. Harrington scored his first of the game and 23rd of the season from close range on the power play with 3 1/2 left in the first, giving the visitors a 2-1 advantage after one.

Owen Martin added his 19th of the season not quite four minutes into the second. Harrington and Assanali Sarkenov scored within 44 second of each other in the middle of the period, and Sam Oremba knocked one in for his 23rd of the campaign with 12 seconds left in the frame.

Defenseman Owen Schoettler scored his first of the season at 15:46 of the third to cap the scoring.

The Chiefs host ninth-place Victoria (54 points) on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. at the Arena.