WHL Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs Weekly Report

Published on October 18, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


The Spokane Chiefs scored a season high nine goals on Saturday, six in the second period, to earn a 9-5 win over the Tri-City Americans. The win was their third in four games and their first on the road this season. Spokane will practice all week at Eagles in preparation for two games at home this weekend. Spokane will host the Portland Winter Hawks on Friday and the Kamloops Blazers on Saturday.

Tickets are available by calling the Chiefs office at (509) 535-PUCK or TicketsWest at (800) 325-SEAT.

DATE EVENT AIR GAME LOCATION

Tuesday, October 19th Practice 1:00 Eagles Ice-A-Rena

Wednesday, October 20th Practice 1:00 Eagles Ice-A-Rena

Thursday, October 21st Practice 1:00 Eagles Ice-A-Rena

Friday, October 22nd Spokane vs. Portland 6:30 7:00 Spokane Arena

Saturday, October 23rd Spokane vs. Kamloops 6:30 7:00 Spokane Arena

Sunday, October 24th Off Day

Monday, October 25th Practice 1:00 Eagles Ice-A-Rena

Tuesday, October 26th Practice 1:00 Spokane Arena

Wednesday, October 27th Practice 1:00 Spokane Arena

Thursday, October 28th Practice 1:00 Spokane Arena

Friday, October 29th Spokane vs. Seattle 6:30 7:00 Seattle, WA

Saturday, October 30th Spokane at Tri-City 6:30 7:00 Kennewick, WA

AIR- Denotes the beginning of Comcast Hockey Tonight on 790 the Fan on game nights.

UPCOMING

Friday, October 22nd vs. PORTLAND WINTER HAWKS AIR-6:30 GAME-7:00

Spokane will host Portland next Friday in their second meeting, but first in the Spokane Arena this season. Portland earned a 5-3 win over the Chiefs on Wednesday, October 6th in their first meeting of the year. The Chiefs finished their regular season series last year with the Hawks at 5-3-1-1. Chad Klassen led the Chiefs with seven goals and 18 points and was +7 on the season. The 19-year-old had three four-point games versus Portland, including a hat trick on March 7th in a 6-3 win. Ned Lukacevic had five goals and 10 points. Scott Lynch scored three goals, seven points and finished the regular season as a +11 in 10 games. Jim Watt played seven games versus Portland and finished 3-2-1 with a .903 save percentage. The Chiefs were 10-51 (19.6%) on the powerplay.

Saturday, October 23rd vs. KAMLOOPS BLAZERS AIR-6:30 GAME-7:00

For the first time this season, the Chiefs will host the Kamloops Blazers in their first of four match-ups on the season. Spokane will travel to Kamloops on November 5th. The Chiefs and Blazers will play a home-and-home series on January 29th and February 1st, with the first game being played in the Spokane Arena. The Blazers won all four games in the series last year, including one in overtime. Three of the four games were decided by one goal. The Chiefs were 15-17 (88.2%) on the penalty kill.

LAST WEEK

Saturday, October 16th SPOKANE-9 at TRI-CITY-5

The Spokane Chiefs scored a franchise record nine unanswered goals on the road on their way to a 9-5 win over the Tri City Americans Saturday night in Kennewick. The Americans scored the first two goals of the game just 4:32 into the first period. Ian McDonald and Dylan Stanley tallied for Tri Cities. Spokane would begin their comeback as Chad Klassen finished off a two-on-one with Ned Lukacevic for his sixth goal of the season at 8:34 of the period. Adam Hobson also picked up an assist. Chris Bruton scored his fourth goal of the season, banging home a rebound to tie the game at two. J.P. Szaszkiewicz and Derek Ryan got the assists. Scott Lynch would then give the Chiefs the lead 35-seconds later with his second goal of the season on a slap shot from the point. Ned Lukacevic and Adam Hobson picked up their second assists of the night. The Chiefs would then explode for a season high six goals in the second period. Kyle Howarth would score his first goal as a Chief on the power play 4:50 into the period to give Spokane a 4-2 lead. Captain Jevon Desautels would follow his own shot for his second of season to give the Chiefs a 5-2 lead. Steve Gillen's power play goal, his second of the year, made it 6-2. Derek Ryan would then score 22-seconds later with his third goal of the season to make it 7-2 Chiefs. Michael Reich's first WHL goal at 11:30 of the period, and Jason Lynch's first career goal at 16:15 would cap the scoring for Spokane. Tri Cities would finish the scoring with three third period goals. Jim Watt had 32 saves to pick up his 4th win of the year, as the Chiefs went 2-4 on the power play. Ned Lukacevic led the offense with a career high 4 assists, while Jevon Desautels, Steve Gillen, Adam Hobson and Derek Ryan all had multi point nights.

Friday, October 15th SPOKANE-2 vs. VANCOUVER-3

The Vancouver Giants broke a 2-2 tie when Mitch Bartley tipped in the game winner with under four minutes remaining in regulation on Friday night in the Spokane Arena. It marked the first loss at home this season for the Chiefs and snapped a two game winning streak. Spokane scored late in the second and early in the third to overcome a two goal deficit and even the game before the game winner was scored. Vancouver scored once in the first, a t14:12, and another in the second, at 6:07 for a two goal lead. The Chiefs started their comeback with just 23-seconds left in the second period when Adam Hobson pounded a loose puck in on the power play in front of the crease. Joe Logan and Gary Gladue each had assists on the play. Hobson took part in Spokane's second goal, 1:10 into the third, when his shot was redirected in by Chad Klassen to tie it at two. Despite pulling goaltender Jim Watt and putting pressure on the Vancouver defense late in the game, the Giant's Marek Swartz nullified the Chiefs scoring opportunity and ended up the Sir Speedy Star of the Game after making 30 save, 10 in the third. Spokane's record dropped to 3-4 while Vancouver remained unbeaten in their last six games.

NEWS AND NOTES

DID I HEAR A NINER?...The nine goals the Chiefs scored on Saturday, October 16th at Tri-City were the most they scored since a 9-4 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds on October 12th, 2001. The Chiefs set a road record for most unanswered goals with nine. The last time the Chiefs scored 10 in a game was against Tri-City on February 26th, 2000. Spokane set their overall record for most unanswered goals in a game at 10 in that game.

POWER PERFORMANCE...The Chiefs have scored a goal on the power play in each game this season, including a season high three on October 12th versus Lethbridge. The Chiefs are second in the WHL with a 25.0% power play.

KILL ‘EM ALL...The Chiefs have allowed just one power play goal at home this year and have killed 13-14 (92.9%) this season in the Spokane Arena.

FIRST TIMERS...Both Mike Reich and Jason Lynch each scored their first career goals on October 16th at Tri-City in a 9-5 win. Reich was the Chiefs first round selection in 2003. Lynch, in his second season as a Chief, was Spokane's second round selection in 2002.

SHOT TO THE HEART...Spokane's 50 shots on October 9th versus Tri-City were the most since March 15th, 2002 when the team put 51 shots on net in a 2-2 tie with Tri-City. The Chiefs franchise record for shots on goal in one game is 75 in a 6-0 win on March 17th, 1996 versus the Prince George Cougars.

KLASSEN SESSION ...Chad Klassen has four goals, eight assists and 12 points in his last five games. In eight games this year, Klassen has points in seven, including three points twice. His 14 total points are the second highest total in the WHL. Klassen was the league's top scoring 18-year-old last season with 35 goals and 91 points. Klassen finished second on the Chiefs and sixth in the WHL in scoring and was tied for the team lead with a +17.

HOBBY'S HOBBY...Adam Hobson has two points (one goal and five assists) in each of his last three games. The 17-year-old won a gold medal with Team Canada at this summer's Under-18 World Junior Hockey Championship.

WATT'S NEST...Eighteen-year-old goaltender Jim Watt earned his fifth career shutout on Saturday, October 9th in a 3-0 blanking of the Tri-City Americans. Watt had 29 saves in a the win. The Edmonton, Alberta native equaled a franchise record with four shutouts in 2003-04. Watt tied Scott Bailey's 1990-91 and David Lemanowicz's 1995-96 seasons. The Edmonton, AB native also set a franchise mark with a .915 save percentage. Watt finished the season with a 2.65 GAA and 16-14-1-1 record.

LYNCH PIN...Twenty-year-old defenseman Scott Lynch has points in seven of eight games this year and is the second highest scoring defenseman in the WHL with two goals and nine assists. Lynch is tied for fourth in the WHL with nine assists. The 20-year-old has four multiple point games this year. Last season Lynch scored a career high 17 goals and 40 points, both tops for any Chiefs defenseman. Lynch's 17 goals were the most by a Chiefs defenseman since Bryan McCabe had 22 in 1993-94.

GLADUE COULD BE HERE...Twenty-year-old defenseman Gary Gladue is +6 in his last four games. Gladue has appeared in 241 career games between Spokane, Calgary and Prince George. Gladue scored a career high seven goals and 35 points last season and finished the regular season as a +11 in his last 18 games.

ZIMMER-MAN...Sean Zimmerman has one assist in each of his last three games. The 17-year-old was named the Chiefs Rookie of the Year last season after posting a +1 in 66 games.

STOESZ PUT...Seventeen-year Myles Stoesz is leading the WHL in penalty minutes with 48 through eight games. Stoesz led all Chiefs rookies a year ago with 128 penalty minutes.

THE LYNCH LOG...Jeff Lynch has one goal and six points in his last seven games. The 19-year-old has cracked the Chiefs top 25 in career games played with 214 in a Spokane sweater.

BRUTON'S BLOG...Seventeen-year-old Chris Bruton scored his first career goal on Saturday, October 2nd versus the Kootenay Ice, an empty netter in a 4-2 win. Bruton has four goals this season. The rookie was an eighth round selection in the 2002 WHL Bantam Draft.

SENSEMAN SENT TO BRAVES...The Spokane Chiefs have re-assigned 17-year-old forward Michael Senseman to the Spokane Braves of the KIJHL. Senseman played two games this season with the Chiefs, and seven in 2003-04. The Portland, OR native scored 20 goals and 55 points last season with the Braves.

HOWARTH YOU DOING...After playing in his first game as a Chief on October 15th versus Vancouver, Kyle Howarth hit the score sheet with a goal and an assist one night later in a 9-5 win over Tri-City. The 18-year-old was acquired by the Chiefs from the Medicine Hat Tigers. Before being called up by Medicine Hat last season, Howarth scored 34 goals and 67 points in just 37 games with the Selkirk Steelers of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

LOGAN'S RUN...Joe Logan has one goal and two assists in his last two games. The Chiefs acquired the defenseman from the Vancouver Giants. Logan is entering his third season in the WHL and had played 120 games with Vancouver, including two this season. The 18-year-old was originally a second round pick, 20th overall, in the 2001 WHL Bantam Draft.

ROSTER NEWS...The Chiefs are carrying 23 players on its roster, including two goaltenders, seven defenseman and 14 forwards. By age, the Chiefs have three 20-year-olds, three 19-year-olds, seven 18-year-olds, six 17-year-olds and four 16-year-olds. The Chiefs feature 10 rookies. On defense, Spokane has just one first year player on its roster and six veterans.

CAPTAIN DESAUTELS...The Spokane Chiefs have named 20-year-old forward Jevon Desautels its captain for the 2004-05 season. Desautels has played in 238 career games, all in a Chiefs sweater, putting him 19th on the franchise's all-time list. The Alida, SK native recorded a career high nine goals and 27 points in an injury shortened season last year. Desautels had 118 PIM in 2003-04 moving him into 15th place on the franchise's all-time list with 532 career minutes.

NED NEEDLELANDER...Ned Lukacevic recorded his first career four point game on October 16th in a 9-5 win over Tri-City. Lukacevic had four assists on the night and has recorded a point in seven of eight games this year. The 18-year-old was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of this summer's NHL Entry Draft. The Port Coquitlam, BC native scored 19 goals last season and was one of two players (Klassen) that appeared in all 72 games.

YOU MUST BE LOCAL...The Chiefs boast three players who have played for the Spokane Braves of the KIJHL, including Sean Zimmerman. Derek Ryan, last season's KIJHL Player of the Year, appeared in one regular season game last year and four playoff games. Seth Compton, a fifth round pick in 2003 is also on the roster.

THE HIGHLANDER...Derek Ryan recorded his first career three point game on October 16th in a 9-5 win over Tri-City. Ryan had one goal and two assists. The 18-year-old scored a goal in his first career WHL game, the regular season finale versus Kootenay last season. Ryan is a local product who attends Shadle Park High School in Spokane.

INJURY REPORT... Joe Logan (groin, two weeks)

Check out the Spokane Chiefs Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 18, 2004


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