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Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs Weekly Report

February 19, 2013 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


THIS WEEK

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND

vs. EDMONTON OIL KINGS

AIR-6:30

GAME-7:00

RADIO-1510 KGA

The Chiefs will host the Edmonton Oil Kings who will become the final team from the Central Division to visit the Spokane Arena. The Chiefs are 4-4 versus the Central Division, including a 2-2 record against the Kootenay Ice and a 2-2 record at home against Lethbridge (W), Red Deer (L), Medicine Hat (L) and Calgary (W). All-time, Spokane is 4-1-0-0 versus the Oil Kings. Edmonton skated to their first win in the series last year with a 4-1 final on November 29th, 2011 in Edmonton. Brenden Kichton assisted on Spokane's lone goal as the Chiefs outshot Edmonton 30-19. The Oil Kings last visit to Spokane, November 12th, 2010, the Chiefs earned a 4-3 win. Spokane earned a 5-2 decision in 2007-08; an 11-2 win in 2008-09 in Spokane, and a 3-1 win in Edmonton in 2009-10 when Blake Gal had two goals and an assist.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23RD

vs. KAMLOOPS BLAZERS

AIR-6:30

GAME-7:00

RADIO-790 KJRB

Spokane will host Kamloops for their fourth and final meeting of the season. The home team has won each of the previous three meetings. In Spokane's only previous home game against the Blazers they scored three third period goals on November 9th for a 5-2 win. Todd Fiddler, Mitch Holmberg, Riley Whittingham, Cole Wedman and Dylan Walchuk all scored for the Chiefs. The Blazers earned a 5-1 win over Spokane on October 12th in Kamloops in their first meeting of the season. Liam Stewart scored the Chiefs lone goal. Kamloops also skated to a 7-4 win on February 1st in their last meeting. Mitch Holmberg recorded a hat-trick.

NEWS AND NOTES

CHIEFS CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT...For the seventh season in a row and for the 24th time in the last 28 years the Spokane Chiefs have clinched a spot in the playoffs.

ROSTER UPDATE...The Spokane Chiefs have added 16-year-old defenseman Colton Bobyk to their roster for this weekend's games. Spokane's 10th round pick in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft was the Alberta Midget Hockey League's (AMHL) top scoring defenseman for the Red Deer Chiefs with eight goals and 32 points in 31 games this season. Last year, Bobyk was named the Sutter Cup MVP after scoring 25 points in 29 games for Red Deer's AAA Midget (Alberta Minor Midget Hockey League (AMMHL)) team.

ALESSIO IS MORE...Alessio Bertaggia has five goals and two assists in five games in Spokane. The Chiefs acquired the 19-year-old from Brandon in exchange for 19-year-old forward Marek Kalus, prospect Rhett Gardner, a third round pick in 2013 and a fifth round pick in 2014. He played for Switzerland in the last two World Junior Hockey Championships totaling 12 games and six points. Bertaggia missed 12 games with an upper body injury.

2,000...The Chiefs played their 2,000th game in franchise history on Sunday, February 10th versus the Victoria Royals. The Chiefs broke into the WHL on October 4th, 1985 versus the Kamloops Blazers. Despite Grant Delcourt tallying the franchise's first goal 36-seconds into the game, Spokane would drop a 7-4 decision. Their first win came two nights later at New Westminster, BC, the franchise that would later move to Tri-City and become the Americans.

HITTING 1,000...The Chiefs won their 1,000th game in franchise history on February 6th with a 5-0 victory over Kelowna. The Chiefs have now won 1,003 games all-time, lost 841 with 159 ending in a tie, shootout loss or overtime loss.

HOLM-SCHOOL...Mitch Holmberg has seven goals and 13 assists in his last 15 games, including his third hat trick this season at Kamloops on February 1st. Holmberg recorded a career high five points, three goals and two assists, in a 7-6 shootout win over Seattle on December 14th. Holmberg has 19 goals and 38 points in his last 32 games. His 80 career goals are tied for 25th in franchise history. Holmberg played two games in the Subway SuperSeries.

GET CARTER...Carter Proft leads the WHL with 171 penalty minutes. The 18-year-old has appeared in all 59 games this season and has scored seven goals, four more than he had in 50 combined games last year with Brandon and Spokane. Proft scored on a penalty shot on January 9th versus the Seattle Thunderbirds.

ROOFTOPS... Todd Fiddler played his 200th career WHL game on February 10th versus Victoria. He tied a franchise record for quickest goal to start a period when he scored eight seconds into the third period versus Medicine Hat on January 26th. The original mark was set by Tony Horacek in 1988. Fiddler has eight goals and 13 points in his last 15 games and is tied for fifth in the WHL with 37 goals. Fiddler now has 25 goals and 42 points in his last 40 games. He recorded his first career hat-trick in a 3-2 win at the Seattle Thunderbirds on November 17th.

Text Box: SPOKANE CHIEFS ALL-TIME LEADERS ASSISTS 1 - Ray Whitney (1988-1991) 207 2 - Pat Falloon (1988-1991) 194 3 - BRENDEN KICHTON (2008- ) 187 4 - Mitch Wahl (2005-2010) 186 5 - Travis Green (1986-1990) 165 6 - Ryan Duthie (1991-1994) 164 Greg Leeb (1994-1998) 164 8 - Valeri Bure (1991-1994) 163 9 - Chad Klassen (2001-2006) 156 10 - Trent Whitfield (1993-1998) 155 BOLD - active IN YOUR KICHTON...Brenden Kichton had an 11 game point scoring streak snapped on January 21st at Portland. Kichton recorded six goals and 17 points during the stretch. Kichton appeared in his 300th career game on Friday, January 4th at Everett becoming just the eighth player in Spokane history to hit that mark. Kichton is also the franchise's all-time leader as a defenseman with 63 career goals, 187 career assists and 250 points. His 187 assists are third all-time in Spokane history. Kichton has nine goals and 21 assists in his last 30 games and is +21 in his last 35 games. He leads all WHL defensemen in scoring with 18 goals and 67 points. Last season Kichton was named the WHL's Western Conference Defenseman of the Year as he led all blueliners with 74 points, including 17 goals and 57 assists. Kichton was selected in the fifth round in 2011 by the New York Islanders.

GAL GAB...Blake Gal has three goals and 10 points in his last 15 games. Gal had an assist in his 300th career WHL game on January 21st at Portland. He became the ninth player in the history of the franchise to have appeared in that many games. He has six goals and 15 points in his last 24 games. Originally a second round selection in the 2007 WHL Bantam Draft, Gal joined the Chiefs at the end of the 2008 WHL season but did not appear in any regular season or playoff games in Spokane's run to the Memorial Cup. The Lethbridge, Alberta native has scored 67 career goals and 153 career points in five seasons.

NACHBAUR'S 1,000TH...Don Nachbaur picked up a 5-2 win over Tri-City in his 1,000th WHL game on November 30th at home. He became just the fourth man in the history of the league to coach in 1,000 games. To this point of his career Nachbaur is 548-393 with 85 games finishing in a tie, overtime loss or shootout loss. He is tied with Ernie McLean for fourth all-time in WHL wins. Nachbaur was the head coach of Team WHL for the Subway Super Series versus Team Russia and was an Assistant Coach for Team Canada at the World Juniors.

AVIANI FLEW...Mike Aviani has three goals and 10 points in his last 11 games. Aviani scored two goals in a 5-2 win over Portland on January 21st. Aviani now has nine goals and 20 points in his last 24 games. Aviani had his third four point night with a hat trick, his first career, and an assist in a 7-4 win at Prince Albert on December 4th. He has 15 goals, including the game tying goal with 55-seconds left in a 7-6 shootout win over Seattle on December 14th and 36 points in his last 32 games.

GOW SCHOLASTIC PLAYER OF THE YEAR...Reid Gow has two goals and 16 points in his last 24 games. He is +16 in his last 29 games. Gow has six goals, 25 points and is a +15 in his last 32. Gow was selected as the winner of the WHL's Daryl K. (Doc) Seaman Trophy for the Scholastic Player of the Year last season. Gow earned a cumulative 95% in his core classes. The defenseman from Killarney, Manitoba scored 22 points, including 20 assists, in 54 games last year. Gow recorded a career high four assists, in a 7-2 win over Tri-City on October 1st, 2011.

INJURY REPORT...Tanner Mort (upper body, indefinite), Tyler King (upper body, week-to-week), Jason Fram (lower body, 1 week)

NHL DRAFT...Brenden Kichton (New York Islanders, 5th round, 2011)

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