WHL Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs outshoot Portland 61-23, lose 5-3

Published on August 30, 2008 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


Despite outshooting the Portland Winter Hawks 61-26 the Spokane Chiefs dropped a 5-3 decision on Saturday afternoon in their second game of the pre-season. Spokane is now 1-1 with their third game in as many days coming tomorrow when they take on the Tri-City Americans at Everett's pre-season tournament.

The Chiefs Mike Aviani, a fifth round bantam selection in this spring's draft, struck first at 9:17 of the first period with a power play goal from 20-year-old Justin McCrae and Mike Betz. Betz was the Chiefs first round pick, 12th overall, in the 2007 draft. Spokane held a 21-3 shot advantage through one.

Portland tallied just 19-seconds into the second period when Travis Ehrdardt tied it up. The Winter Hawks took their first lead of the game at 7:13 on an unassisted goal by Colin Reddin. Just 1:19 later Tyler Johnson scored an unassisted goal of his own for the Chiefs to send the game into the third period tied at two.

Spokane's T.C. Cratsenberg, a Federal Way native and the Chiefs sixth round selection in 2007, gave the Chiefs a 3-2 lead at 3:55 on his first goal of the pre-season. Aviani and McCrae assisted on the goal.

Portland then struck the first of three unanswered goals at 9:22. Killian Hutt scored his first of two on the night and then Ty Rattie made it 4-2 at 11:08. Hutt finished the game with his second at 18:27. Thirteen of Portland's 26 shots came in the third period.

Newly acquired Alex Wright played all 60 minutes in net for the Chiefs. Spokane was 2-2 on the penalty kill.

Of the 20 players on the Chiefs line-up for Saturday afternoon's game, 12 were rookies, including four 1993 born skaters who are ineligible to play in the WHL full-time this season.

Check out the Spokane Chiefs Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from August 30, 2008


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