SUPERCUTS BUCK NIGHT AS CHIEFS HOST AMS

The Spokane Chiefs host the Tri-City Americans on Supercuts BUCK Night & CheerStix Giveaway at Spokane Arena on Saturday night. Hot dogs, popcorn and Coca-Cola products will be $1 at select concession stands courtesy of Supercuts. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

Supercuts will also be offering free haircuts on the concourse of the arena to any fan at the game.

The Chiefs will recognize their player host families in a ceremony on-ice before the game.

The official Chiefs Team Store will continue its pre-playoff blowout sale through the game on Saturday night, with all merchandise marked 20% OFF.

BROADCAST INFO

RADIO: CBS SportsRadio 1510 KGA (pre-game at 6:30 p.m.)

WEBCAST: WHL Live

TICKETS

Tickets for Saturday night and all four remaining Chiefs regular season games are available in-person at the Chiefs’ Ticket Office, over the phone at (509) 535-PUCK or (800) 325-SEAT, and online at www.ticketswest.com.

GAME PREVIEW

The Chiefs are 33-29-3-1 after a 5-3 win over Portland last night. They are currently 4th in the U.S. Division with 70 points – 7 points behind 3rd-Place Seattle & 9 points ahead of 5th-Place Tri-City – and 6-4-0-0 in their last 10 games.

They host Tri-City for the final time this season and 11th of 12 matchups between the two clubs, after winning 7 of the first 10. The Chiefs won back-to-back games against the Ams on February 27 and 28, 4-0 in Kennewick and 8-1 in Spokane. Garret Hughson earned his first shutout of the season in the 4-0 win and Curtis Miske scored his first career hat trick in the 8-1 decision.

Tri-City is battling for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference and currently tied with Kamloops and Prince George at 61 points. They are 3-7-0-0 in their last 10 but beat PG last night, 7-4, thanks largely to their penalty kill unit which went 7 for 8 on the night. Star goaltender Eric Comrie, in just his second game since returning from injury, stopped 36 shots in the winning effort, while Justin Gutierrez led the offense with three points (1g, 2a).

The Ams score by committee, with no one player over 50 points but six with 39+. Lucas Nickles scored twice last night to take over the team lead in goals with 24. Beau McCue leads in total points with 47 and is just one goal behind Nickles with 23. Czech forward Richard Nejezchleb boasts the best point/game rate (1.00) with 44 points (18g, 26a) in 44 GP.

Tri-City has been slowly recovering from an injury bug, which is most evident in goal, where both Comrie and Evan Sarthou have recently returned from missing time. Comrie leads with 18 wins, a 2.83 GAA and .915 SV%, but Sarthou has been outstanding in flashes as he is tied for the league lead in shutouts with 7.

Tri-City’s penalty kill has been excellent, ranking 4th in the WHL (82.3%). They’ve been less effective on the road, ranking 14th (76.7%). The Ams’ power play has struggled, particularly away from home, where they score on just 12.8%.

Though slowly getting healthier, the Ams are still banged up, including one of their top scorers in C Parker Bowles. Also listed on their injury report are D Carter Cochrane, D Riley Hillis, LW Braden Purtill, & LW Taylor Vickerman.

NEWS & NOTES

BENCH BOSS… Don Nachbaur earned his 200th win with the Chiefs on March 13, becoming just the 2nd Chiefs coach to reach the milestone (Mike Babcock; 223). Earlier this season, Nachbaur became just the 4th WHL coach to reach 600 career wins.

SWEET SIXTEEN… Chiefs rookie and native Spokanite Kailer Yamamoto is just the third 16-year-old in Chiefs history to score 20 goals (Pat Falloon, 22, 1988-89; Jason Podollan, 36, 1992-93) and fourth to score 50 points (Falloon, 78, 1988-89; Ray Whitney, 50, 1988-89; Podollan, 69, 1992-93). Among WHL rookies, he ranks 3rd in scoring (53 points), 2nd in goals (20) and 3rd in PPG (8). He leads the Chiefs in +/- (+17) and is tied for the lead in GWG (5; t-13th WHL). He has recorded 3+ points in a game 9 times, incl. a 4-game 3+ point streak broken on Jan. 2. He had an 11-game point streak broken on Jan. 16.

HELEWKA APPROACHING 40… Adam Helewka’s next goal would make him the 8th Chief since 1995-96 to hit the 40-goal mark. He continues to lead Spokane in scoring (77 pts; t-16th WHL), goals (39; 6th WHL), PPG (10) and GWG (5; t-13th). He ranks 2nd in PPA (17) and plus/minus (+13). Earlier this season, Helewka tied the franchise record for consecutive games with a goal with 9, previously set by 3 players (Marian Cisar, 97-98; Brent Gilchrist, 86-87; Terry Perkins, 85-86). He has recorded a point in 13 of his last 18 games and a goal in 7 of his last 10.