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WHL Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs Open Season with Thrilling 5-4 Overtime Victory Against Kamloops

September 23, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


Kamloops, B.C. - The Spokane Chiefs kicked off the 2023-24 season with a thrilling 5-4 overtime victory on the road against the Kamloops Blazers Friday night. Spokane's top line of Conner Roulette, Berkly Catton and Chase Bertholet produced all five goals, with veteran defenseman Brayden Crampton assisting on three of them.

Bertholet was the first Chief to find the twine this season, as he picked up a centering feed from Catton and swept it to the right circle before flicking the puck over the glove of Dylan Ernst at 14:59 in the opening period to give Spokane a 1-0 lead. Crampton also earned his first assist of the night on the play.

Spokane carried that lead over halfway through the middle frame before Kamloops answered with back-to-back goals at 13:15 (Andrew Thomson from Nathan Behm) and 15:30 (power play goal, Shea Van Olm from Logan Bairos and Dylan Sydor) to take a 2-1 lead.

The Chiefs were quick to bounce back, though, as Catton and Roulette sped down the ice passing the puck back and forth before Catton fired it into the net to even the score again at 16:22.

Spokane added another in last minute of the second period as Bertholet capitalized on a power play opportunity with help from Catton and Crampton for his second goal of the night to make things 3-2, Chiefs.

The Blazers were quick to tie it again, as Logan Bairos notched his first of the season just 41 seconds into the final frame.

A minute and a half later, Crampton got a puck away from Sydor and pushed it up to Roulette on the left wing side, who sped it up the ice and past Ernst to tilt things back Spokane's way, 4-3.

Sydor made up for it at the 15-minute mark when he scored his first goal of the year (power play goal from Matteo Koci and Logan Bairos) and it remained 4-4 through regulation, sending the Chiefs' first game of the season into overtime.

It took just over a minute of bonus hockey for Catton to connect with Roulette in the right circle, who fired a one-timer to the twine to give Spokane their first win of 2023-24.

Cooper Michaluk made a few show-stopping saves throughout the night, turning aside 34-of-38 shots overall on his way to logging his first win in net this year.

Spokane went 2-for-7 on the power play and 4-for-6 on the penalty kill. They dominated the faceoff circle, emerging victorious in 43 faceoffs to Kamloops' 27. The Blazers won the shots-on-goal battle, though, 38-32.

Up next, the Chiefs will travel back across the border to take on their U.S. Division foes, the Everett Silvertips, this Sunday at 4:00 p.m.

Check out the Spokane Chiefs Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from September 23, 2023


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