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WHL Spokane Chiefs

Spokane Chiefs weekly release

February 20, 2006 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


THIS WEEK

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST at KAMLOOPS BLAZER

AIR-6:30

GAME-7:00

For the first time since a 2-1 loss on October 7th, the Chiefs will travel to Kamloops to take on the Blazers. The game will be the fourth and final meeting of the season between the two. Spokane scored six goals on February 11th in a 6-3 win in the Spokane Arena the last time these two teams met. Five different players scored goals, including Michael Grabner, who had two. Kamloops defeated the Chiefs 2-1 on October 7th as the Blazers scored with just 1:29 remaining in a 1-1 game. Reid Jorgensen scored the only goal of the game 8:13 into the first period as Kamloops earned a 1-0 win on October 22nd in the Spokane Arena. Michael Maniago had 28 saves for Kamloops.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22ND

at KELOWNA ROCKETS

AIR-6:30

GAME-7:00

For the first time this season, Spokane will travel to Kelowna. The Rockets have visited the Spokane Arena twice and the Chiefs will be back in Kelowna next Tuesday to wrap up their four game season series. Kelowna is 2-0 versus the Chiefs this season with a 5-3 win on October 30th and a 4-1 victory on February 8th.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 24TH

vs. TRI-CITY AMERICANS

AIR-6:30

GAME-7:00

Spokane and Tri-City will play for the 11th time this year in their 12 game season series. The Chiefs have already finished their season in Tri-City and have, after Friday night, one more game remaining in Spokane. The Chiefs will host the Americans on March 11th. Spokane is 4-4-1-1 on the season versus the Americans. The last two games in Tri-City have gone into overtime with the Americans winning in the extra session and in a shootout. The Chiefs are 3-1 when outshooting Tri-City and 1-6 when the Americans have more shots or they are tied. In Tri-City, Spokane is 1-3-1-1 and 3-1 at home. Kevin Armstrong has made five starts versus the Americans. Derek Ryan has five goals and 10 points in 10 games. Michael Grabner has scored six goals and seven points and Chris Bruton has four goals and seven points. Drayson Bowman has two goals, four points and is a +7 versus the Americans. The team that is ahead at the end of two games is 9-0.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25TH

vs. KOOTENAY ICE

AIR-6:30

GAME-7:00

For the third time this season the Chiefs will host the Kootenay Ice. The Ice have won two of the five games versus Spokane in overtime. All five games have been one or two goal games. The Chiefs and Ice will hook up for the final weekend of the regular season in a home-and-home series on Friday, March 17th in the Arena and on Saturday, March 18th in Cranbrook. Adam Hobson has four goals and five points and Drayson Bowman has two goals and five points to lead Spokane versus Kootenay.

LAST GAME

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH

SPOKANE-2 at TRI-CITY-3 OT

Ian McDonald's overtime goal, his second of the game, gave the Tri City Americans a 3-2 win on Saturday night over Spokane in Kennewick, WA. McDonald's power play goal midway through the first period gave Tri City a 1-0 lead after the first. The Americans outshot the Chiefs 13-12 in the period. Spokane would tie the game late in the second period, as Johannes Salmonsson scored his ninth goal of the season off a rebound of a Drayson Bowman shot at 18:56 of the period. Derek Ryan also assisted on the goal. Drayson Bowman's 15th goal of the year from Sean Zimmerman and Ryan at 8:16 of the third period gave the Chiefs a 2-1 lead. Tri-City's Jason Beeman would tie the game at two at 17:17 of the period to send the game into overtime to set up McDonald's game winner.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17TH

SPOKANE-3 at EVERETT-6

The Spokane Chiefs opened a four game road trip with a 6-3 loss to the Everett Silvertips Friday night in Everett. Peter Mueller had a hat trick to lead Everett to the win. John Lammers opened the scoring for Everett with a backhander past Thomas Stehr 6:06 into the game to give the Tips a 1-0 lead after the first period. Michael Grabner's 13th goal in his last 12 games 2:47 into the second period would tie the game at one for the Chiefs. Grabner's 26th of the year came on a rebound of an Adam Hobson shot. Chris Bruton also had an assist. Peter Mueller would then score two goals in 1:56 to give Everett a 3-1 lead. Spokane would respond as Judd Blackwater's wraparound goal at 17:44 of the period would bring the Chiefs within 3-2. Blackwater's fifth of the year, and third in his last six games was assisted by Jared Spurgeon and Derek Ryan. Drayson Bowman would then even the game at three with his 14th of the year from Ryan and Johannes Salmonsson at 18:09. Mueller would then get his hat trick with the eventual game winning goal at 13:03 of the third. Lammers and Mark Kress would cap the scoring for Everett in the third for the final margin.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15TH

SPOKANE-3 vs. VANCOUVER-8

The Vancouver Giants scored three power play goals and two shorthanded on their way to an 8-3 win over the Spokane Chiefs on Wednesday night in the Spokane Arena. Spokane had a 2-0 lead in the first with goals by Brad Erickson and Michael Grabner, but the Giants scored three unanswered goals, including both shorthanded goals, late in the period. The Giants had a 5-2 lead in the second before Grabner scored his second of the game at 11:45 of the middle frame. Vancouver scored three unanswered to finish the contest.

NEWS AND NOTES

GRABNER'S GARB...Since returning from the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game Spokane Chief 18-year-old Michael Grabner has scored 13 goals and 18 points in 13 games. Prior to January 14th, through 41 games, Grabner had 13 goals and 18 points and was -7. The Villach, Austria native scored his first career hat-trick on February 4th in a 7-5 win over Tri-City. Grabner is ranked 23rd overall for North American skaters by the Central Scouting Bureau and scored one goal and two assists leading Team Orr to a 7-2 victory over Chiefs teammate and Team Cherry goaltender Kevin Armstrong at the Top Prospects game. Grabner's 25 goals are first on the team and better his 13 that he scored his rookie season.

SMOKIN' SALMONSSON ...Since returning from the World Junior Hockey Championships, 18 games ago, Johannes Salmonsson has six goals and 13 points in 18 games. In his previous 26 games, Salmonsson had three goals and nine points. In his last seven games, the 19-year-old has two goal and nine points. Salmonsson recorded his first career four point game with one goal and three assists on February 3rd versus Portland. At the World Junior's Salmonsson and Team Sweden finished in fifth place. Salmonsson scored two goals and two assists in five games and was named the player of the game for Sweden in a 1-0 ot loss to Finland in the quarters.

Z'S...Sean Zimmerman has one goal and five points in his last eight games. The three-year veteran has played in all 58 games this season and has appeared in 196 career games, missing just six in his career. His 18 points (17 assists) are a career high.

ADAM'S RANT...Adam Hobson has scored three goals and set up eight others in his last 12 games. The 18-year-old is second on the team in scoring with 19 goals and 40 points. Hobson has scored 14 goals and 29 points in his last 34 games. The Mission, BC native was the Chicago Blackhawk's seventh round pick in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

WHAT'S UP DOC...Derek Ryan recorded his first career four point game on February 3rd in a 5-4 win over Tri-City. Ryan now has five goals and 12 points in his last eight games. Ryan also has 13 goals and 25 points in his last 25 games. The 19-year-old leads the team in scoring with 22-31-53 and was named the Western Conference's Rookie of the Year last season.

BLACKWATER'S MARK...In his last seven games, Judd Blackwater has three goals, five points and is a +1. After being called up earlier in the season, Blackwater has five goals and 10 points in 31 games this season.

ARMYS ARMED...Seventeen-year-old goaltender Kevin Armstrong earned his first victory in a Spokane sweater with a 37 save performance on January 25th versus Vancouver. The 40 shots from Vancouver were the most Spokane has given up at home this season. The 17-year-old Armstrong finished the CHL/NHL Top Prospects game with 11 saves in 12 opportunities. Earlier this year, Armstrong was named the WHL's Player of the Week and the CHL's Goaltender and Player of the Week after going 3-0 with a .958 save percentage and 1.35 goals against average in three starts from October 31st through November 6th.

MAKIN' EM COUNT...Of Chris Bruton's 11 goals this season, four of them have been game winners which leads the Chiefs. The 18-year-old is one of seven players with double digit goals this year.

LEGENDS OF THE FALK...Defenseman Justin Falk has two assists and is a +2 in his last eight games. The 17-year-old was acquired from the Calgary Hitmen earlier this season and has played 39 games this season and is +2 with five assists.

MCCUE CHIMES IN...Chiefs defenseman Matt McCue has one goal, five points in his last 10 games. The 17-year-old is also third on the team with 111 penalty minutes. In the Central Scouting Bureau's Mid-Season Rankings, McCue is rated 77th for North American skaters.

ALL IN...Five players have appeared in all 58 games this season; Derek Ryan, Adam Hobson, Chris Bruton, Drayson Bowman, and Sean Zimmerman. Between Spokane and Prince Albert, Brad Erickson has played 61 games.

HAW, HAW...In 15 games as a Spokane Chief, Evan Haw has one goal and seven points. Haw is a former first round bantam selection (19th overall in 2001) and in his fourth season in the WHL and has played all previous of his 195 career games in Saskatoon. The 6'4", 215 pound defenseman is enjoying a career year with 10 goals, 28 points, 74 penalty minutes and a +3 in 56 games. Haw, originally from Fort McMurray, Alberta, has 450 career penalty minutes, including 198 last year. The 19-year-old attended training camp this fall with the San Jose Sharks.

YOUNG GUN...With 15 in his rookie year; Drayson Bowman is the first 16-year-old to hit double digits in goals since Brandin Cote accomplished the feat in 1997-98. Cote scored 12 goals and 24 points. Bowman has scored 15 goals and 30 points, third amongst all 16-year-olds in the WHL (Boychuk-LETH, 14-27-41, Sutter-RD, 16-16-32). The Littleton, CO native is just the ninth 16-year-old in Spokane history to score more than 10 goals. Jason Podollan scored 36 goals in 1992-93, a franchise record for 16-year-olds.

THAT WAS CLOSE...Forty-three of the 58 games the Chiefs have played in this season have been a one goal game at some point of the third period. Twenty-six of the games have ended as a one-goal final.

ROOTIN' FOR BRUTON... On October 26th Chris Bruton scored nine-seconds into the second period, just one second off the Chiefs record for fastest goal to start a period, held by Tony Horacek in October, 1988. His second goal of the period, 22-seconds later, was just four-seconds off the Chiefs record for fastest two goals by one player, held by Travis Green in 1988.

ONE, TWO, ZERO...Spokane has played in three 1-0 games this season after just 10 such contests in 20 previous seasons in the WHL. Two of the games have come against Everett, both wins, on October 5th and November 19th. The Chiefs lost a 1-0 game on October 22nd versus Kamloops. Spokane has played in two 1-0 games during the post season.

DRAFTED PLAYERS...Johannes Salmonsson (Pittsburgh, 2nd round, 2004), Jason Lynch (Colorado, 6th round, 2005), Sean Zimmerman (New Jersey, 6th round, 2005), Adam Hobson (Chicago, 7th round, 2005), Myles Stoesz (Atlanta, 7th round, 2005)

INJURY REPORT... Jeff Lynch (shoulder, indefinite), David Linsley (hand, week-to-week), Phil Magistrale (knee, 3-5 weeks), Dan Mercer (leg, day-to-day)

Check out the Spokane Chiefs Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from February 20, 2006


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