WHL Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs Host Prince George and Regina

November 13, 2007 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


The first place Spokane Chiefs continue a stretch of six straight home games this weekend when they play three games, tonight, Friday and Saturday they host the Prince George Cougars (twice) and the Regina Pats. The Chiefs have 31 points and a three point lead in the U.S. Division standings over the Tri-City Americans.

Tuesday night when Prince George visits, the first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a free player magnet courtesy of TicketsWest.

Friday, Spokane will host Regina in a battle of WHL heavyweights on Local Heroes Night presented by BOB 103.9.

Saturday, the Cougars will once again be in the Spokane Arena on Fred Meyer Shop With the Chiefs Night.

NEWS AND NOTES

KELNER SUSPENDED...Curtis Kelner will serve the second game of a two game suspension on Tuesday night against the Prince George Cougars. Kelner was originally given a Match Penalty on Friday night versus the Kamloops Blazers, but, after reviewing the play, the league changed the call to a major penalty for checking from behind and a game misconduct. Kelner served the first game of the suspension on Saturday, November 10th versus the Everett Silvertips.

FOR STARTERS...The Chiefs 14-3-1-2 record and 31 points is the best record through 20 games in franchise history.

SCORING...The Chiefs have allowed fewer goals than any other team in the WHL, 43 through 20 games, 2.15 per game. Vancouver is second in the WHL with 2.26 goals against per game. The Chiefs 3.45 goals per game (69 in 20 games) is fourth in the WHL. Spokane has outscored the opposition 29-12 in the first period and has scored the first goal of the game in 16 of 20 games.

STREAKING...The Chiefs recorded their second longest winning streak in franchise history with nine games from October 12th through November 2nd. Spokane won 12 games in a row, a franchise record, in 1995-96, one year after they posted an eight gamer.

SHOTS ALL AROUND...The Chiefs are averaging 32.2 shots on game and allowing just 23.6 Spokane has allowed more than 30 shots in a game just three times this year. The Chiefs are 14-3 when outshooting the opposition. The Chiefs are 0-2 when being outshot.

KILLER KILL...The Chiefs are the sixth least penalized team in the WHL with 17.1 penalty minutes per game. This season, Spokane has been on the penalty kill fewer times than any other team in the league, except Brandon. The Wheat Kings are averaging 4.62 kills per game, the Chiefs are averaging 5.00 kills per game.

TIC-TOK...Dustin Tokarski has won his last six starts and has posted a 1.33 GAA through that span. In the six games, Tokarski has two shutouts and a .938 save percentage. The 18-year-old became the first Chiefs goaltender to post back-to-back shutouts in consecutive starts with a 21 save effort on November 2nd versus Seattle. Tokarski's first shutout of the season came with 22 saves in a 2-0 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds on October 27th. Jim Watt did it in 2003-04. Tokarski is 7-1-0-1 on the season and has the league's lowest GAA at 1.88.

AN ARMY OF ONE...Before a shootout loss on November 2nd to Vancouver Kevin Armstrong had won his last six starts. Armstrong is third in the WHL with a 2.17 GAA. Armstrong recorded his fourth career shutout, his third as a Chief, with 18 saves in a 2-0 win on October 21st at Vancouver.

COWEN'S CORNER...Sixteen-year-old Jared Cowen has two goals and three assists in his last 11 games and is +12 in his last 16 games, including a +4 night on October 28th at Portland. Cowen's +12 is tied with Drayson Bowman for sixth in the WHL. Cowen scored his first career goal on Friday, October 5th at Tri-City. In 18 games, Cowen has three goals and seven helpers.

LANGKOW'S LOG...Eighteen-year-old Chris Langkow has three goals and five points in his last seven games and four goals and seven points in his last 10 games. Langkow scored his first goal of the season and added an assist in the Chiefs 4-3 win at the Kelowna Rockets on October 20th. The game was Langkow's second career multiple point game. He had a pair of goals on March 18th, 2007 at Portland and finished last season with four points in his last three games.

COUNTING ON COYLE...Seventeen-year-old rookie Jace Coyle recorded his first career points with a pair of helpers in a 9-1 win in Portland on October 28th. Coyle is +3 in 18 games this season.

UNLEASH THE FURY...Mitch Wahl has four goals and 11 points in his last eight games and is +11 on the season. Wahl is second on the team in scoring with 23 points. Eight of Wahl's 17 helpers have come on the power play.

PEORIA'S PRIDE...Curtis Kelner has already set career highs in goals and points with three goals and nine points in 16 games. The Peoria, Arizona native has five assists and is +4 in his last five games. Kelner is +5 on the season. Coming into this season, Kelner had two goals and nine points in 97 career games.

KOPING JUST FINE...Levko Koper recorded a career high three points, two goals and one assists, in a 9-1 win over the Portland Winter Hawks on October 28th and now has three goals and six points in his last six games.

18-YEAR-OLD SPURGEON...Jared Spurgeon leads the WHL in plus-minus with +16. Spurgeon is +10 in his last 11 games and had a six game point streak (1-5-6) snapped on October 27th. The three-year veteran scored his first goal of the season in a 7-2 win on September 22nd at Prince George and has three goals and nine points in 19 games this year.

ROOTIN-BRUTON...Twenty-year-old Chris Bruton has points in 15 of 20 games this year for a total of nine goals and 22 points. Bruton has four goals, eight points and is +8 in his last eight games. Three of his goals have counted as the game winner. The four-year veteran was named the Chiefs captain at the start of the season and has played 210 career WHL games.

LETTS TALK HOCKEY...Ryan Letts had is first point as a Chief on October 19th in a 3-2 win over Saskatoon. Letts is +2 with three assists in 13 games as a Chief. The 18-year-old was acquired from the Calgary Hitmen on October 10th. Letts is a forward from Newport Beach, California and in his third full season in the WHL with 100 career WHL games.

KEEPIN' UP WITH JOHNSON ...Rookie forward Tyler Johnson has four goals and 10 points in his last 15 games. Johnson scored his first career goal in his first career home game on October 6th versus the Tri-City Americans. The Spokane native was the Chiefs 11th round pick in the 2005 WHL Bantam Draft. Johnson scored 56 goals and 120 points in 39 games with the Coeur d'Alene Lakers of the NORPAC last season.

BOWMAN EXPLOSION... Drayson Bowman has a six game point scoring streak with three goals and nine points. Bowman also has five goals and 13 points in his last 13 games. The 18-year-old is leading the Chiefs in scoring with 26 points in 20 games. Bowman tallied a pair of goals on September 29th in a 4-1 win at Kootenay. Six of his goals have come on the power play. Bowman had his second four point night of the season with one goal and three assists in a 5-3 win over Seattle on November 4th. Bowman had his first one on September 22nd at Prince George in a 7-2 win. Bowman scored twice and assisted on two others.

BIG SHOTS...Spokane put 55 shots on net on September 22nd at Prince George in a 7-2 win, their most since they had 51 shots on October 19th, 2005 in a 3-2 win at home versus Saskatoon.

DRAFTED PLAYERS... Drayson Bowman (Carolina, 3rd round, 2007), Justin Falk (Minnesota, 4th round, 2007), Ondrej Roman (Dallas, 5th round, 2007)

INJURY REPORT...Dustin Donaghy (hand, one-to-two weeks), David Rutherford (groin, week-to-week)

Check out the Spokane Chiefs Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from November 13, 2007


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