WHL Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs Start Hot, Fall Short to Broncos 8-4 in First Game of Long Road Trip

Published on January 5, 2024 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


Swift Current, Sask. - The Spokane Chiefs got off to a hot start Friday night, but ultimately fell short to the Swift Current Broncos 8-4 to open up their six-game road trip.

Top 2024 NHL Draft prospect Berkly Catton started the scoring early, picking up a centering feed from Conner Roulette in the left circle and firing it over the goalie's shoulder for his 23rd goal of the season just 25 seconds into the game. It's the first and only time this season the Saskatoon native will play in his home province of Saskatchewan. With the goal, Catton extended his point streak to 11 games and is among the top ten scorers in the Western Hockey League. Chase Bertholet also earned an assist on the play.

A mere 19 seconds later, Cole Wadsworth picked the puck off of Josh Filmon trying to clear the zone and took it the other way before chipping it past the glove of Joey Rocha for his fourth goal of the year. With that, the Chiefs found themselves with a two-goal lead off of just two shots less than a minute into the contest.

The Broncos answered with back-to-back goals of their own, first by Tyson Laventure at 13:52 followed by Filmon on the power play at 18:12. The score would remain even at two apiece heading into the first intermission.

Spokane's leading goal-scorer added his 25th of the season at the 7:22 mark of the middle frame to tilt the ice back in the Chiefs' favor. Conner Roulette made the most of a second chance as he scored off a rebound from a Nathan Mayes shot, making it 3-2.

The lead was brief, though, as Caleb Wyrostok notched his 11th of the year just 12 seconds later to once again tie things up 3-3.

Right before the halfway mark, a rushing Catton connected with Bertholet in Swift Current's zone, who found defenseman Will McIsaac across the ice. McIsaac fired a rocket to the twine to regain a 4-3 lead for Spokane. The goal marked McIsaac's third goal of the year and his sixth point in four games.

The Broncos once again found a way to score the equalizer as Clarke Caswell potted a shorthanded goal at 13:21. The teams went into the second break knotted up at 4-4.

It was all downhill from there, though, as Swift Current went on to score four unanswered goals in the third period - Filmon at 4:08, Rylan Gould at 5:19, Wyrostok at 17:33 (empty net) and Dawson Gerwing - to secure the 8-4 win.

Spokane won the shots battle, outshooting the Broncos 33-31, but went 0-for-4 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill. Dawson Cowan posted 23 saves on the night. Catton extended his point streak to 11 games, while Roulette and Bertholet both have points in the last six straight.

The Chiefs will continue their road trip through the Central Division with a Sunday matinee against the Medicine Hat Tigers January 7 at 3:00 p.m. PST.

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 5, 2024


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