Spokane puts up a touchdown, wins 6th straight with 7-4 triumph over Portland
Spokane, WA – The Chiefs and Winterhawks took the ice on Sunday night for the second of back-to-back divisional matchups.
It was Portland who came out of the locker room with vengeance in mind, scoring the opening two goals. Yaremko scored his 9th of the season at 3:33 and Chyzowski scored his 17th at 7:37.
The Chiefs clawed back with a milestone score. Saige Weinstein joined the rush and received the pass from Shea Van Olm before deking around a defender and finishing with authority for his first of the season at 18:27.
Shea Van Olm got back on the scoresheet himself with just seven seconds remaining in the period. The Chiefs’ leading point getter planted himself next to the goal for the easy tap in on the power play. Brayden Crampton and Rasmus Ekström added to their point totals with assists on the play.
Sam Oremba scored next for the Chiefs, his fourth goal in the past six games. Preston picked up the puck along the wall before sliding it to Oremba for the one-timer at 8:29 of the second on the power play.
Spokane would go on the penalty kill, giving Chyzowski the space to score his second of the night for the Winterhawks.
Defenseman Owen Schoettler found himself in rare territory for the answer for Spokane. Catton’s pass ricocheted below the goal line where Schoettler picked up and banked it off the goaltender into the net for his fourth of the season at 13:01.
Van Olm continued to be a nuisance for the defense, earning a penalty shot after getting taken down in front of the net at 15:55. He slowly approached the net before rocking back and forth, forcing the goaltender off balance, and finishing off his second of the night. He would earn a 5-minute fighting penalty later in the period, giving him a goal (x2), assist, and fight all in the same game.
Portland scored their 4th early in the third at 3:14 on a breakaway, making it a 5-4 game.
Catton added some insurance for the Chiefs with a goal at 9:27, giving the Chiefs a two-goal cushion. He drove down the right side of the defense before firing from a nearly impossible angle along the goal line, making it 6-4. Spokane’s captain has 25 points in his last 12 games, including 10 (4G, 6A) in his last four and sits at fourth in the WHL in points with 43.
Hayden Paupanekis scored on the empty net to put a bow on it, giving the Chiefs a 7-4 victory.
For the second straight game, Spokane had 11 skaters record a point. Shea Van Olm’s three points gives him 40 on the season, enough for sixth in the league rankings.
Once again the Chiefs would wear down their opponent as the game went along, recording 31 shots to Portland’s 16 over the final two periods Spokane scored twice on the power play in five tries while Portland scored once on the power play. Tonight marks the third game this season with Spokane scoring 7 goals.
The Chiefs will be in action next weekend for a home-and-home series with the Wenatchee Wild. Friday the Chiefs play on the road, before welcoming the Wild to the Spokane Arena for the Jubilant HollisterStier Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday, December 7th.
