HIGHLIGHTS: COUGARS 4 – CHIEFS 3
SPOKANE, Wash. – The Spokane Chiefs scored three goals in the third period in a comeback bid that fell just short on Saturday night at Spokane Arena as they lost to the visiting Prince George Cougars, 4-3. NHL Draft prospects Jaret Anderson-Dolan and Kailer Yamamoto led the offense for Spokane with two and three points, respectively.
Prince George opened the game with a flurry, scoring three goals in the first period to jump out to a 3-0 lead. Josh Curtis scored his ninth of the season on a rebound at the 13:05 mark. Jared Bethune made it 2-0 just 70 seconds later, taking a puck straight to the net off a won faceoff by Jesse Gabrielle. Russian winger Nikita Popugaev punched in his 29th of the season with a wrist shot from the left circle on a power play at 17:42.
After a scoreless second, Spokane got on the board early in the third as Anderson-Dolan streaked down the left side before snapping a shot to the far post for his 36th goal, with assists going to Yamamoto and goaltender Jayden Sittler.
Prince George regained the three-goal lead midway through the third as defenseman Josh Anderson found the net on the power play with a shot from the left circle through a screen up front. [related_links]
Yamamoto chipped in his 39th goal of the season at the 13:39 mark, pouncing on a rebound from older brother Keanu Yamamoto’s shot from inside the left circle. The power play assist gave Keanu 24 on the year. Anderson-Dolan earned a secondary assist on the play.
With the Chiefs’ net empty, Carolina Hurricanes prospect Hudson Elynuik capitalized on a perfect feed from Pavel Kousal to score his 27th goal of the season and make it a one goal game with 1:13 left in regulation, but the comeback fell short as time expired before Spokane could tie it up.
The loss was Spokane’s season-long sixth in a row. They have four games – two at home – remaining in the regular season.
The Chiefs finished 2-for-6 on the power play and 1-for-2 on the penalty kill while being outshot 30-40.
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Spokane remains home for their next game on Wednesday, March 15 against the Seattle Thunderbirds. It will be the final TicketsWest Player Magnet Giveaway Night at the Arena as the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a refrigerator magnet featuring a Chiefs player.
Tickets for Wednesday night, as well as Coeur d’Alene Casino Regular Season Finale on March 18, are available in-person at the Chiefs’ Ticket Office, over the phone at 509-535-PUCK and online at ticketswest.com and spokanechiefs.com.