Slow start impairs Chiefs as comeback comes up short in a shootout
Everett, WA – Spokane visited Everett Sunday afternoon for a third game in three nights and the final matchup of the season against the Silvertips.
The first period was a forgettable one for Spokane as Jesse Heslop found the net twice and added an assist on a Kaden Hammell goal to make it 3-0 after one in favor of Everett.
For the second straight game, the Chiefs would come out of the locker room with a fiesty second period. Hayes got things restarted after picking up a loose puck and crashing to the net.
Hayes picks up the puck and crashes towards the net for his 21st of the season!
Bertholet and McIsaac with the helpers on this one.
3-1 Silvertips pic.twitter.com/ia9LV27sWt
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) March 13, 2023
Hayes picked up his 21st of the season and now has three straight games with a goal. Will McIsaac capped off a strong start to the game with an assist and team point leader Chase Bertholet also added an assist on the play. Bertholet would not be done there as he later found Jake Gudelj for another helper.
The Chiefs quickly broke up the ice after a face-off win with Berty finding Goody who wristed it low past the Everett netminder!
It is now EVT 3 – 2 SPO with 12 minutes remaining in the period.#GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/fcTaaUNTBI
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) March 13, 2023
The Chiefs won the face-off deep in their own zone before Bertholet snagged the puck at his own blue line. He fed Gudelj who carried it up the left side and wristed it low past the Everett goalie. For Bertholet it was his 36th assist on the season and for Gudelj it was his first goal of 2023 and his 7th of the season.
Everett was first on the board in the third period to make it 4-2 Silvertips. Roan Woodward registered his 6th of the season on a wrap-around at 6:32.
The period wound down quickly but the action hit a fever-pitch with less than a minute to go in regulation. Spokane pulled Cowan to add an extra attacker and wore down the Everett defenders with the man advantage. Eventually the puck fell to Bertholet in the short slot and he made no mistake to send it past the sprawling Everett goalie.
Bertholet scores!!! 🚨🚨🚨
One goal game with less than one minute remaining
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) March 13, 2023
Just seconds later Bertholet would add his fourth point of the night on a play that saw Raegan Wiles slap the puck towards net with Tommy De Luca deflecting it in. Just like that the Chiefs tied it up to send it to overtime. For star rookie De Luca it snapped a 14 game goal drought, giving him his 15th of the season. Chase Bertholet finished the game with four points, matching his career high for a single game, which he had accomplished twice before.
SPOKANE WANTED WHOA-VERTIME TOO.@spokanechiefs
📺 | https://t.co/HQbpG90GzL pic.twitter.com/6gdLwLi4rm
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 13, 2023
The overtime period was frenetic with end to end action. Spokane had perhaps the best look of the bonus frame with a 2-on-0 break but neither team was able to break the deadlock.
Carter Streek, Berkly Catton, and Cade Hayes all took the ice during the shootout but it was Palmer in goal for Everett that stood strong, saving all three attempts. Dawson Cowan was able to stop two of Everett’s chances in the shootout but it was not enough as the Silvertips came out with the shootout victory.
A relatively clean game only saw seven penalties called with Spokane going 0/1 on the power play and Everett finishing 0/2 with the man advantage. Cowan made 41 saves on the night and finished the game strong after a shaky first period. Palmer in goal for Everett made 25 saves including 6 crucial stops in the OT period. For the Chiefs it was their third game in three nights. They visit Portland on Tuesday for the 8th and final game vs. the Winterhawks this season marking a 4th game in 5 nights.
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The Chiefs’ next home game is Friday, March 17 against the Tri-City Americans. It is the Miller Lite St. Paddy’s Day Jersey Giveaway. Tickets for March 17 and all regular season games are available online at spokanechiefs.com/tickets. Make sure to use your Flex Pack Tickets and Never-A-Wasted Tickets before the end of the season, as they do not carry over to next season.
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, which 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.
