WHL Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs News and Notes

Published on October 25, 2011 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26TH

vs. VICTORIA ROYALS

7:00

TV-NONE

RADIO-1510 KGA

The Chiefs will take on the Victoria Royals in their first of four meetings on the season. Spokane earned a five game series win in the first round of the playoffs last season versus the former Chilliwack Bruins franchise. Spokane was 2-0 on the road, including a 3-2 overtime win in game one and a 5-0 effort in game two, Chilliwack won 4-3 in overtime in game three before Spokane took games four, 4-2, and five, 6-4. Steven Kuhn led all Chiefs with five points (2-3-5). Blake Gal had four goals including a hat-trick in the series clincher. Spokane was 3-22 (13.6%) on the power play and 19-22 (86.4%) on the penalty kill. Spokane scored the first goal of the game in all five meetings and outshot the Bruins 49.5-24.2. Spokane finished the year 3-1-0-0 in their four game regular season series with the Bruins. Spokane put a franchise record 78 shots on goal in a 2-1 shootout win on March 16th, their final meeting of the year. Spokane was 5-22 (22.7%) on the power play and 16-19 (84.2%) on the penalty kill. On average the Chiefs outshot the Bruins 46.5-22.8. In four games Steven Kuhn had two goals and five points and Brenden Kichton had one goal and four assists. Mac Engel won his lone start.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29TH

at TRI-CITY AMERICANS

7:00

TV-SWX

RADIO-1510 KGA

For the second time this year, Spokane will travel to take on the Tri-City Americans. The season series is tied at 1-1 after each team defended their home ice in their respective home openers. Tri-City earned a 4-1 win over Spokane on September 24th to open the regular season. One week later, Anthony Bardaro had a hat-trick and Steven Kuhn scored twice as Spokane picked up a 7-2 victory. The Chiefs were 4-12 on the power play and 5-5 on the penalty kill. The Chiefs finished the regular season last year 7-5-0-0 with one overtime victory. The team that led after the second period was 11-0-0. Spokane was 22-62 (35.5%) on the power play and 57-67 (85.1%) on the penalty kill. Brenden Kichton had four goals and 14 points in 10 games and Blake Gal had nine goals and 12 points in 12 games. In its 23rd year of existence the Chiefs lead the regular season series 140-119-1-5 with 13 ties.

NEWS AND NOTES

SCHEDULE...Tonight's game is the final of seven in a row in the Spokane Arena. Spokane played three games on the road in their first four games of the season. After Saturday's road trip to Tri-City, the Chiefs will play two more home games for nine of 10 at home. The Chiefs are 7-0 at home this year.

HOME COOKIN'...For just the third time in franchise history Spokane has started the season 7-0 on home ice. In 2001-02, Spokane began 10-0 at home. The Chiefs were also 7-0 at home in 1995-96.

THROUGH 10...Spokane won seven of their first 10 games for the eighth time in franchise history. Twice before, 2001-02 and 2003-04, the Chiefs had won eight of their first 10. Their 15 points is the third most in franchise history through 10 games (17 in 2003-04 and 16 in 2001-02).

THE BARD'S TALE...Nineteen-year-old Anthony Bardaro had a nine game point scoring streak to start the season. Bardaro is seventh in the WHL with nine goals 14th in scoring with 16 points. Bardaro also leads the WHL with seven power play goals. Bardaro had a four point night, two goals and two assists, in a 5-1 win over Kelowna on October 8th. He had had a hat-trick on October 1st in a 7-2 win over Tri-City in the Chiefs' home opener. Bardaro is the Chiefs' leading returning goal scorer. The Delta, BC native recorded a career high 24 goals, third on the Chiefs, in his second full season in a Spokane sweater. His 46 points were 35 more than he registered the season before.

KAPTAIN KRAMER...Darren Kramer has points in eight of his nine games this season, including seven goals and five assists. He recorded his first career three point game, all assists, in a 5-1 win over Kelowna on October 8th in Spokane. He also had a goal, assist and a fight in a 3-1 win on October 15th against Everett. The 20-year-old has been named the Chiefs captain. Kramer was selected in the sixth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Ottawa Senators. As a 19-year-old he was named the Chiefs' Rookie of the Year and the Players' Player. His 306 penalty minutes led the WHL. During the regular season last year, Kramer had had seven goals and 14 points.

FRAM COMES ALIVE...Rookie defenseman Jason Fram had goals in back-to-back games. He scored in his second career game on October 7th at Kamloops and followed it up on October 8th in a 5-1 win at home over Kelowna. The 16-year-old was Spokane's eighth round pick in the 2010 WHL Bantam Draft.

HOLM' COOKIN'...Mitch Holmberg had back-to-back three point efforts when he recorded three assists on October 7th versus Kamloops and recorded his first two goals of the season and added an assist on October 8th in a 5-1 win over Kelowna. Holmberg had 15 goals and 33 points last season in Spokane.

GOW WEST, YOUNG MAN...Reid Gow had a career high four assists in the Chiefs' 7-2 win over the Tri-City Americans on October 1st. Gow had two goals and nine assists in 41 games as a rookie 16-year-old last season. He was Spokane's first round pick in the 2009 WHL Bantam Draft.

IN YOUR KICHTON...Brenden Kichton is +8 in his last six games. Kichton has one goal and three assists through the same time span. Kichton was named the Chiefs John "Hitman" Hern Defenseman of the Year in 2010-11 after recording 81 points, the second most all-time by a Spokane blueliner (Bryan McCabe, 82 points, 1993-94). Kichton was selected by the New York Islanders in the fifth round in 2011. His 23 goals in 2010-11 were the third most by a defenseman. He is the first Chief defenseman since '93-'94 and just the fourth in franchise history to score 20 goals in a single season. Kichton finished tied for the league lead in scoring amongst defensemen. He was third in the league with a +55. Kichton scored two goals in a game six times in 2010-11. Kichton enjoyed a breakout season last year as he tied for the league lead in scoring amongst defensemen with 23 goals and 81 points.

FEELING DRAFTY...Fourteen Chiefs were selected by Spokane in the bantam draft, including three former first round picks; (Mitch Holmberg, 2008), Reid Gow (2009) and Tyler King (2010).

GOOD TO BE UHER...Dominik Uher has four goals and six points in the last five games and it tied for first in the WHL with three game winning goals. Uher scored the game winning goal with just over three minutes remaining on October 12th at home versus Brandon. It was his first goal of the season. Uher was selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the fifth round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft after scoring 21 goals, 39 assists and 60 points in 65 games as an 18-year-old in 2010-11. Uher scored just one point in the first nine games of the season and had 59 in the last 56 games. Uher recorded his first career hat-trick and added an assist on December 11, 2010 in a 10-5 win over Kamloops. He also had a career high 10 game point scoring streak from January 7th through the 26th with six goals and 17 points. As a rookie in 2009-10 Uher had four goals and 11 assists in 53 games. Uher was the Chiefs lone selection, 47th overall, in the 2009 CHL Import Draft.

GONE CAMPING...The Chiefs had four veterans, Brenden Kichton (New York Islanders), Dominik Uher (Pittsburgh Penguins), Darren Kramer (Ottawa Senators) and Blake Gal (Calgary Flames), attend NHL camps. Gal was a free agent invitee while the other three were selected in this summer's NHL Entry Draft. Kichton and Uher were taken in the fifth round while Kramer was selected in the sixth.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB...The Chiefs are currently carrying nine rookies; one goaltender, three defensemen and four forwards.

BALD IS BEAUTIFUL...Corbin Baldwin returns to the Chiefs as a 20-year-old in his fourth season. He appeared in a career high 71 games last season with 20 points and 110 penalty minutes, second on the team. He has played 188 career games with 277 penalty minutes.

ALL ENGELS... Mac Engel is currently fifth in the WHL with a 2.09 goals against average. Engel finished the 2010-11 regular season as the WHL's second leading goaltender with a 2.30 GAA. He had won his last eight starts. Engel was named the WHL's Goaltender of the Month for February as he posted a 9-2-0-0 record with two shut-outs, a 1.83 GAA and .930 save percentage. In his last 11 starts he was 10-1-0-0 with a 1.27 GAA, a .950 save percentage and three shutouts. Engel appeared in 15 straight games, including starts in the last 13, from January 22nd through February 21st. His first career shutout came on January 26th, 2011 with 18 saves in a 3-0 win over the Everett Silvertips. His four shutouts equaled James Reid's franchise rookie record.

GAL-EE...Blake Gal has scored 43 career goals, which leads all active Chiefs, including a career high 23 last season. He has now played in 210 career WHL games. Gal recorded his first career hat-trick on October 20th, 2010 in an 8-3 win over the Calgary Hitmen. He also scored two goals and three points on January 15th, 2011 in the Rockstar Outdoor Hockey Classic in an 11-2 win over the Kootenay Ice. Gal scored an overtime winner in game five of 2011 Western Conference Semi-Finals versus the Tri-City Americans to give the Chiefs a 3-2 victory.

KUHN'S CORNER...In his third season in Spokane, Steve Kuhn scored a career high 20 goals, 30 assists and 50 points in 2010-11. Kuhn has appeared in 226 straight games and is the only player in franchise history to play in all 72 games three straight seasons. Kuhn was third on the Chiefs' roster last year with 10 power play goals.

BOSS MAN...Don Nachbaur, the reigning WHL Coach of the Year, enters his second season on the Chiefs' bench. Nachbaur now has 486 career victories. He assisted on Canada's National Men's Summer Under-18 Team that won the gold medal at the 2011 Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament over the summer.

JUST ONE MORE...The Chiefs' leading goal scorer has had more goals than the team leader the previous season for the last six years. Beginning in 2006 Michael Grabner's 36 was nine more than Chad Klassen's 27 the year before. Grabner then had 39 in 2007 followed by back-to-back seasons of 42 and 47 goals by Drayson Bowman. Kyle Beach scored 52 in 2010 and was bettered by Tyler Johnson's 53 last season.

NHL DRAFT...Brenden Kichton (New York Islanders, 5th round, 2011), Dominik Uher (Pittsburgh Penguins, 5th, 2011), Darren Kramer (Ottawa Senators, 6th, 2011)

INJURY REPORT...Cole Hamblin (lower body, day-to-day)

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 25, 2011


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