Chiefs complete sweep in Portland, win WHL Western Conference Championship
Portland, Ore. — The Spokane Chiefs scored three times in the final six minutes and came from a one goal deficit to defeat the Portland Winterhawks 6-4 in game four of the Western Conference Championship. The win completed a 4-0 sweep of their U.S. Division rivals and gave Spokane their fifth ever Conference title, their first since 2008.
The Chiefs have also advanced to the WHL Championship series and will face the Medicine Hat Tigers, who swept the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Championship. The series schedule will be announced at a later date.
It was a fast and aggressive first period, but the Chiefs ultimately kicked things off at 7:26. The Winterhawks had a good chance at the opening goal, but Andrew Cristall got away with the puck and drove it back the other way before chipping it to the twine for his 19th goal of the post-season.
Portland was quick to answer, as Alex Weiermair evened the score at 10:58 with help from Tyson Jugnauth.
Cristall found his second of the period at the16:09 as the Chiefs capitalized on a power play opportunity to regain a 2-1 lead. Rasmus Ekström and Brayden Crampton earned the assists on the play after Ekström dug the puck out to Crampton who slid it over to Cristall at the left circle to finish the job.
The ‘Hawks found a power play goal of their own at 5:21 in the second thanks to Ryan Miller.
For the second straight night, Coco Armstrong scored, this time at 12:02 of the period. Brody Gillespie, who grew up playing for the Portland Jr. Winterhawks close to his hometown of Vancouver, Washington, carried the puck into the Portland zone and dropped it off the Armstrong who wired it over the glove hand of Ondrej Stebetak. Portland evened the score at three with an Alex Weiermair tally at 16:57.
The Winterhawks took the lead with a power play marker just 24-seconds into the final frame and they held the advantage until late in the period.
The game tying goal was recorded by Rasmus Ekstrom at 14:13. The Swedish import won a face-off in the left circle back to 19-year-old defenseman Saige Weinstein who’s shot got through from the blueline on net and was stopped by Stebetak. Ekstrom, and fellow linemates Sam Oremba and Assanli Sarkenov, crashed in for the rebound and pushed it home.
Owen Martin scored the game winner at 16:49 on a rush from the right circle and continued into the slot. the 17-year-old went high with his backhand to find the back of the net for his fifth of the season.
You can’t spell Marty without ART and that’s what this goal was 😍#GoChiefsGo #WHLPlayoffs #FeedingTheFuture https://t.co/pJFJ8ZRouQ pic.x.com/LwTqdTxipT
— x – Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) May 2, 2025
Shea Van Olm solidified the victory with an empty netter at 18:27.
Dawson Cowan stopped 39 shots in 43 opportunities for the win. Stebetak was 39 for 44.
Each team was perfect on the power play, the Chiefs on one attempt and Winterhawks with two.
