Six Chiefs score in 6-2 preseason win over Seattle Friday afternoon
Everett, Wash. — The Spokane Chiefs came out hot in their first exhibition game against the Seattle Thunderbirds Friday afternoon, winning 6-2. The game saw six different Chiefs skaters score goals, including rookie forward and first-overall 2023 U.S. Priority Draft pick Brody Gillespie.
The Thunderbirds opened the scoring at 7:29 in the first as 2007-born center Braeden Cootes found the net with help from Antonio Martorana and Brock England. From there Spokane took control of the game with six-straight goals, starting with 17-year-old forward Owen Martin at 13:35 in the first. Hayden Paupanekis and defenseman Brayden Crampton earned the assists on the play.
It was Spokane’s European players who shined in the second period, with a pair of goals from overager Rasmus Ekström at 7:02 and Lukáš Král at 11:01. The Thunderbirds put up just four shots in the middle frame, all of which were stopped by Chiefs’ netminder Dawson Cowan.
The Chiefs carried their momentum into the third period as 17-year-old Chase Harrington capitalized on the man advantage to pad Spokane’s lead to 4-1 at 3:38. Rookies Brody Gillespie and Mathis Preston connected just two and a half minutes later to make it a 5-1 game as Gillespie notched his first goal of the preseason (Preston’s second point).
Birthday boy Cam Parr closed out Spokane’s scoring with a goal at 8:57. Rookie Cohen Harris and defenseman Owen Schoettler were credited with the helpers.
Seattle had their most shots in the final frame (18), but only one found its way past Cowan to bring the final score to 6-2. Spokane outshot the Thunderbirds 44-32 and went 1-for-2 on the power play and a perfect 2-for-2 on the penalty kill. Martin was a force on the dot, winning 11 of his 15 faceoffs. 15-year-old Ossie McIntyre also had a strong faceoff showing, coming away with 4-of-6.
Up next, the Chiefs will face the Portland Winterhawks Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. at the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett.
—
The Spokane Chiefs are a member of the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League, the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players. Since 1985 the Chiefs have been a pillar in the Spokane community, offering family-friendly entertainment and a winning tradition that includes: two Memorial Cup Championships in 1991 & 2008, two WHL Championships in 1991 & 2008 and four Western Conference Championships in 1991, 1996, 2000 & 2008. Over 60 alumni have gone on to play in the National Hockey League.
