Chiefs battle to 4-2 victory over rival Tri-City on emotional Chiefs Fight Cancer Night
The Spokane Chiefs and the Tri-City Americans battled it out in an emotional Chiefs Fight Cancer game on Saturday night in front of over 9,000 rowdy fans. It was the Chiefs who came out on top 4-2 after a tight fought contest.
Spokane jumped on the ice wearing specialty Chiefs Fight Cancer jerseys featuring a cream base and lavender design, honoring awareness across the spectrum of cancers. The Chiefs also wore special lavender superhero capes during warm ups with the jerseys and capes getting auctioned off. Proceeds from the auction will go to benefit Every Woman Can, the Chiefs’ Cancer Awareness Charity Partner. It was profound pre-game ceremony featuring a current cancer warrior sharing her story and dropping the puck, and the fans shining lights to honor people impacted by cancer.
Once the action started, it was non-stop throughout the night. Deagan McMillan got on the scoresheet first for the Americans, with an assist from Jalen Luypen at 3:44 in the first. Spokane was on the board soon after with an excellent team goal featuring #23, #24, and #25 on the roster.
🚨 GO CHEECH GO 🚨
Good passing leads to good goals! Cicek ties this one up at 8:13 with help from Wiles and Weinstein!#GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/5iQ7IzjTea
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) February 26, 2023
Excellent passing from Weinstein to Wiles led to a strike from Cicek, earning Spokane a leveler at 8:13 in the first, and the Chiefs’ #23 the 2nd Star of the night.
Spokane outshot the Americans 11-5 in the first but both teams would head to the locker rooms knotted up at one goal apiece.
The second period was almost an exact reverse of the first. Grady Lane from the Spokane Chiefs crashed the front of the net on a power play at 4:12 of the period. He smashed home the rebound with an assist from Gizowski. For Lane it was his 5th goal of the season, and his 9 points matches his season total from a year ago. For Gizowski, it was his second straight game with a point. Mac Gross also assisted on the play.
PPG = Power Play Grady ⚡️
The alternate captain gets his fifth of the year, with apples for Gizowski and Gross to take the lead at 4:12 in the second!#GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/hLXmZTORJR
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) February 26, 2023
The Americans would tie up the game at 8:28 with a goal from Jalen Luypen, assisted by Tri-City point leader Lukas Dragicevic and Parker Bell. Once again the score would remain tied the rest of the period, with plenty of action to come in the third.
The Chiefs captain Raegan Wiles netted what would eventually become the game winner less than a minute into the third period.
Raegan Wiles tips things back our way 🤩
That's the Captain's 8th of the season! It's 3-2 at :55 in the third with an apple for Bertholet!#GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/RCdfxDH6e1
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) February 26, 2023
In another example of excellent passing, Raegan played a give and go with Chiefs point leader Chase Bertholet. Wiles played it across the blue line to Bertholet crashing down the right wing who passed it back to Raegan with the captain clipping it over the glove of the American’s netminder for his 8th of the season. With a goal and assist on the night, Raegan earned First Star with his family in the stands watching on. After a late scoring change it was goalie Cooper Michaluk awarded with the secondary assist on the play, making it his first career point in the WHL.
A feisty third period continued with a total of ten penalties called throughout the frame. It was Spokane’s Cade Hayes who finally put the contest to bed at 18:36 with an unassisted empty net goal to finish it off. The two teams came together for an intense scrum after the final whistle, resulting in five penalties and potentially more discipline to come.
Nothing could prevent the celebrations, as the team saluted the raucous crowd and their own families in the stands. A fitting way to cap off an exciting parent’s weekend for the Spokane Chiefs.
WHAT. A. WIN.#GoChiefsGo pic.twitter.com/SOCkkIhIec
— Spokane Chiefs (@spokanechiefs) February 26, 2023
Cooper Michaluk was successful in stopping 24 of the 26 shots he faced while Spokane netted 3 times against Tomas Suchanek in 21 tries, with the empty netter providing the insurance.
In the end both sets of special teams were busy, with the Chiefs going 1/4 on the Power Play and 4/4 on the Penalty Kill.
Up next, the Chiefs are on the road for a game in Kelowna and two in Prince George. Spokane will be back at the Spokane Arena for another busy weekend on March 10th vs. Portland and March 11th vs. Kelowna.
–
The Chiefs’ next home game is Friday, March 10 against the Portland Winterhawks. It is the Coeur d’Alene Casino 30th Anniversary Celebration. Tickets for March 10 and all regular season games are available online at spokanechiefs.com/tickets.
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.
