SPOKANE HOSTS VICTORIA ON FRIDAY NIGHT
The Spokane Chiefs host the Victoria Royals at Spokane Arena on Friday night. It’s UnitedHealthcare Awareness Night at the Arena. Chiefs’ GM Tim Speltz will give a hockey chalk talk in the Integra Telecom rooms at 6:40 p.m. Priority seating goes to season ticket holders with any extra available seats open to the public.
BROADCAST INFO
Radio: CBS SportsRadio 1510 KGA (listen online here) – pre-game at 6:30 p.m.
Webcast: WHL Live
TICKETS
Call (509) 535-PUCK or (800) 325-SEAT, or visit www.ticketswest.com.
GAME PREVIEW
The Chiefs are 23-20-3-1 after a 2-0 loss to Seattle at home on Sunday night. Spokane is currently tied for 4th in the U.S. Division with 50 points but are just 2-7-0-1 in their last 10 games.
They continue their 5-game home stand with a tilt against the Victoria Royals tonight. It is the 4th and final game against the Royals this season, with Spokane winning just 1 of the first 3. Spokane came away with a 4-2 win in the first game, Nov. 26 at Spokane Arena. The Royals won 8-1 and 4-2 in back-to-back games on the island to kick off 2015, on Jan. 2 and 3.
The Royals are 26-20-3-1 through 50 games but have been on fire lately, winning 7 of their last 10 games including a 4-game winning streak snapped on Wednesday night in Portland. Victoria’s Alex Forsberg scored twice and Regan Nagy added another, but the Winterhawks were too much in the 3rd Period, scoring twice to beat the Royals 4-3. Justin Paulic started in goal for Victoria and made 32 saves.
Victoria is led offensively by LW Austin Carroll with 28 goals and 31 assists for 59 points, tied for 9th in the WHL. Carroll leads the league in power play goals with 13 and is 2nd in GWG (8). Alex Forsberg (21-22-43) has 8 goals and 2 assists in 9 games since being acquired by the Royals from Saskatoon. Overage forward Brandon Magee has 15 goals and 27 assists in just 28 games played and C Greg Chase has 12 goals and 14 assists in 24 games since being traded from Calgary.
Defensemen Travis Brown (16-31-47) and Joe Hicketts (9-36-45) are 1st and 2nd in the WHL in scoring by a d-man, while Jack Walker (11-26-37) ranks 10th on the same list. Brown ranks 1st in goals and PPG (8) by a d-man. Hicketts ranks 1st in assists by a d-man and Walker ranks 2nd in PPG (7).
The Royals are led in goal by Coleman Vollrath with a 3.26 GAA and .900 SV% in 40 appearances (2136 min.) including 3 shutouts. However, Justin Paulic has played 5 games since being acquired from Moose Jaw at the trade deadline, posting a 2.00 GAA and .934 SV% in those games (1 shutout).
