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WHL Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs Cap Regular Season with 5-4 Loss to Everett

March 22, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


SPOKANE, Wash. - Adam Helewka tallied his team-best 43rd and 44th goals of the season but the Chiefs couldn't complete a late comeback, falling to the Everett Silvertips 5-4 on Sunday evening. The loss gave the Chiefs a final 34-34-23-1 record during the 2014-15 regular season as they look ahead to the first round of the playoffs, where they will face the same Everett Silvertips squad beginning Friday.

The Chiefs fell behind early, with a sluggish start leading to two Silvertip goals before the six minute mark of the first period. Right winger Gunnar Wegleitner scored his first career WHL goal just over two minutes in off assists from defenseman Kevin Davis and forward Dawson Leedahl. Patrick Bajkov scored his 23rd of the season just under four minutes later, off assists from D Cole MacDonald and Davis, to give the 'Tips an early 2-0 lead.

Head Coach Don Nachbaur called a timeout to settle the young chiefs - notable scratched Chiefs players included team captain Jason Fram as well as alternate captains Liam Stewart and Calder Brooks - and they responded with a new energy.

Kailer Yamamoto, who was named the team's rookie of the year during pre-game ceremonies - fired a shot from between the circles past Everett goaltender Austin Lotz. The goal, Yamamoto's 23rd of the season, came on the power play at the 16:34 mark of the first period and was assisted by Riley Whittingham and Nick Charif.

Helewka, earlier announced as Spokane's 2014-15 Player of the Year, notched his 43rd of the season midway through the second period, flipping a backhand past Lotz on a rebound of his own shot. Hudson Elynuik, recently returned from an upper body injury that had him sidelines for nearly three months, earned his first point since his first game back on March 20.

Everett responded with three goals to start the third period on their way to a 5-2 lead. Noah Juulsen scored 3:35 into the period, followed by Jake Mykitiuk at 11:19 and Brayden Low at 15:13.

Whittingham found the twine for his 19th of the season with just under four minutes left in regulation off a feed from Helewka and defenseman Jordan Henderson.

Helewka scored his second of the night off an assist from Elynuik and Dominic Zwerger with 15 seconds remaining but it was too little, too late for the Chiefs as they fell one goal short.

The Chiefs finished the game 1-for-3 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill. Tyson Verhelst stopped 15 of 20 shots for Spokane while Lotz turned aside 29 of 33 on his way to first star honors.

The Chiefs open their first round WHL Playoffs series on Friday at Everett at 7:35 p.m. They return home for Games 3 and 4 on Wednesday, April 1 and Friday, April 3.

Tickets for the Chiefs' first round playoff series go on sale via the Chiefs' Ticket Office and TicketsWest Outlets on Monday, March 23 at 9 a.m.

Check out the Spokane Chiefs Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from March 22, 2015


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