WHL Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs Weekly Report

November 18, 2008 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


Tonight, the Chiefs will play their third of seven straight road games and their fourth of seven versus teams outside the Western Conference when they travel to take on the Brandon Wheat Kings. Spokane is 1-1 on the trip with a win over Prince Albert and a loss to Saskatoon. The Chiefs lead the Tri-City Americans by one point for first place in the U.S. Division.

Spokane will travel to Regina on Wednesday night and then take on Moose Jaw and Swift Current this Friday and Saturday night.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

DAY EVENT AIR GAME LOCATION

Tuesday, November 18th at Brandon Wheat Kings 4:30* 5:00 Brandon, MB

Wednesday, November 19th at Regina Pats 4:30 5:00 Regina, SK

Thursday, November 20th Practice

Friday, November 21st at Moose Jaw Warriors 4:30 5:00 Moose Jaw, SK

Saturday, November 22nd at Swift Current Broncos 5:00 5:30 Swift Current, SK

AIR-Denotes the beginning of Comcast Hockey Tonight on 1510 KGA. (* - Tuesday's game will be aired on KJRB 790 AM.)

THIS WEEK

TONIGHT at BRANDON WHEAT KINGS AIR-4:30* GAME-5:00

Drayson Bowman had two goals, including the game winner with less than six minutes remaining, and an assist in last year's 4-3 win for Spokane over the Brandon Wheat Kings. Mitch Wahl had a goal and two assists. The Chiefs had a 3-0 lead 11:21 into the second period, but Brandon came back with three unanswered before Bowman scored the winner. The trip to Brandon will be Spokane's first since a 1-0 loss on January 19th, 2007. Brandon outshot Spokane 32-30. The only goal of the game was scored on the power play. The Chiefs hold a 13-4-1 record in the regular season versus the Wheaties since the 1995-96 season. Brandon defeated the Chiefs in a five game series in the '95-'96 WHL Finals.

* Tonight's game will be aired on KJRB 790.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19TH at REGINA PATS AIR-4:30 GAME-5:00

Drayson Bowman had two goals and Mitch Wahl had a pair of assists as the Chiefs defeated the Regina Pats on November 16th, 2007 in the Spokane Arena. The Pats earned a 4-1 win on January 21st, 2007 in Spokane's last trip to Regina. Since the 1999-00 season, Spokane is 7-3 versus the Pats.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21ST at MOOSE JAW WARRIORS AIR- 4:30 GAME-5:00

In their only game of the year last season, the Chiefs earned a 5-4 shootout win. Dustin Tokarski stopped 36 shots as Spokane went 1-7 on the power play and 5-6 on the penalty kill. Four different players scored goals, including Drayson Bowman who had a goal and assist. The Warriors earned a 4-2 win in Spokane's lone trip to Moose Jaw on January 20th, 2007. In their last 14 games, the Chiefs are 7-4 with three ties versus the Warriors.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22ND at SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS AIR-5:00 GAME-5:30

The Spokane Chiefs defeated the Swift Current Broncos 3-1 on December 8th, 2007 in their only trip to the Spokane Arena. Mike Reddington was one of three goal scorers for the Chiefs as Spokane outshot the Broncos 24-20. This will be Spokane's first trip to Swift Current since a 3-0 win on January 26th, 2007. The Chiefs made trips to Swift Current on back-to-back years in 2005-06, a 3-2 shoot out win, and in 2006-07. Since the 1998-99 season, the Chiefs are 9-3-0 versus the Broncos.

NEWS AND NOTES

THREE SELECTED FOR TEAM WHL...The Canadian Hockey League and the Western Hockey League announced that three Chiefs, goaltender Dustin Tokarski and defensemen Jared Spurgeon and Jared Cowen, will compete in the 2008 ADT Canada Russia Challenge for Team WHL. The ADT Canada Russia Challenge will take place November 17th to 27th, 2008 in Canada as Canadian Hockey League All-Star Teams, from each of its three member Leagues (WHL, OHL and QMJHL), take on the Russian National Junior Team in a six game series. Team WHL was selected by a special committee of WHL General Managers along with Al Murray, Hockey Canada's Head Scout for the Canadian National Junior Team, as part of the selection process for the 2009 World Junior Hockey Championships. The three Chiefs will play in games on November 26th in Swift Current and November 27th in Prince Albert.

KOPER'S COUNT...Levko Koper has nine goals in his last nine games, including his first career hat-trick on November 1st in a 5-1 win over Kootenay. Koper's team leading 14 goals are two better than his career high of 12 set last year. The 18-year-old has points in 17 of 22 games this year, including a career best 11 game point streak at the start of the season. Ten of his points have come on the power play, a team high. Koper is also +13. Koper is in his third season in Spokane with 140 games played. In a career high 69 games last year, Koper scored 12 goals and 26 points and added another four goals and nine points in 21 playoff games. Koper scored two goals in the Memorial Cup, including the overtime game winner in Spokane's first game of the tournament against the Belleville Bulls.

ULMER FUDD...Defenseman Stefan Ulmer has six assists in his last four games and now has two goals and 17 points in 22 games to lead all Chiefs blueliners. Ulmer also scored the decisive goal in a six round shootout with the Tri-City Americans on November 8th for a 4-3 win.

LETTS TALK...Ryan Letts has five goals and 10 points and is +11 in his last 15 games. Letts has been either a plus or even in 20 of 22 games this season. Letts scored a career high two goals on Friday, October 10th in a 6-2 win at Portland and has played 165 career WHL games.

REDDINGTON'S READY...Mike Reddington has four assists and is +6 in his last nine games and has played in 165 games in two-plus seasons, 27 playoff games and four more in the Memorial Cup. Reddington appeared in 71 of 72 games last season and led the Chiefs with 102 penalty minutes.

WAHL NUTS...Chiefs center Mitch Wahl has 13 goals and 23 points in 19 games this year. The 18-year-old is also +14 on the season. Wahl has points in 14 of the 19 games he has played this year. This is his third season in a Spokane jersey and he has played 153 career games in two-plus seasons. After scoring two goals and six points in four Memorial Cup games, Wahl was named to the tournament All-Star Team. Wahl was also selected by the Calgary Flames in the second round of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Last year Wahl led the club with 53 assists, seventh in the WHL, and finished second on the team in scoring with 73 points. Wahl also finished tied for fifth in the WHL with a +33.

PROJECT POWER PLAY...This season, Avista will donate $25 to Project Share for each power play goal the Chiefs score. Through 22 games, the Chiefs have scored 23 goals on the man advantage for a total of $575. In their last 16 games, the Chiefs are 22-58 (37.9%) on the power play and they own the fourth best percentage (25.3%) in the WHL.

HOME, SWEET HOME...Spokane is 10-2 at home and have scored 45 goals and allowed 16. The Chiefs had back-to-back shutouts to begin the home season, 4-0 against Tri-City on September 27th and 5-0 versus Everett on October 3rd. Spokane has outscored the opposition 27-22 on the road.

LOOKING GLASS...Defenseman Trevor Glass was +4 with an assist on October 25th against the Prince George Cougars. Glass appeared in his 200th career WHL game on Saturday, October 18th in Tri-City and has now played 210 games. Glass has two goals and seven assists in 20 games and is +3 in his last three games. The 20-year-old is in his fifth season in the WHL and has played 59 career playoff games and another eight in the Memorial Cup. Glass scored Spokane's third goal, his only of the Memorial Cup, in a 4-1 win over the Kitchener Rangers in the final game to help the Chiefs win the championship. In 2007-08, Glass had three goals and 12 points as a Chief in 27 games after being acquired in a January, 2008 trade. The defenseman was also +15 in Spokane. Glass's resume also includes a pair of WHL titles, one with Medicine Hat in 2007 where he led the team with a +13 in the playoffs. The Cochrane, Alberta native was a former first round selection in the 2003 WHL Bantam Draft (10th overall).

BOWMAN'S BAG...Spokane forward Drayson Bowman has five points in his last three games (1-4-5). Bowman has scored 92 career goals, tied for 16th all-time in franchise history. Bowman has nine goals and 12 assists in his last 18 games. Bowman is in his fourth season in Spokane after leading the team in goals (42) and points (80) last year. Bowman was named the Chiefs Player of the Year in 2007-08. The Littleton, Colorado native was the Hurricanes third round selection in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

REID BETWEEN THE LINES...Eighteen-year-old James Reid earned a shutout in his third career start with 27 saves on November 5th versus the Red Deer Rebels. Reid has a 0.97 goals against average, a .967 save percentage and 2-0-0-1 record.

DUSTIN TIME...Chiefs goaltender Dustin Tokarski is second in the WHL with 1.72 goals against average, first with a .947 save percentage, is third with 12 wins and first with three shutouts. Tokarski now has 11 shutouts for his career, setting a new franchise record after he posted back-to-back shutouts for the third time in his career, second time in the regular season, with blankings on September 20th against Portland and September 27th against Tri-City. Tokarksi's third of the year came with 30 saves against Everett on October 3rd. Tokarski was named the Memorial Cup MVP after going 4-0 with a 1.72 GAA, a .953 save percentage and a 52 save performance in the Championship game. Through games five and six of the second round versus Vancouver and one and two against Tri-City Tokarski had a stretch of 186 minutes and 15 seconds without allowing a goal. The Tampa Bay Lightning selected Tokarski in the fifth round in 2008. In 2007-08, the 19-year-old set a slew of records in net for Spokane, including most shutouts in a season (6), most consecutive wins (11-October 13th through December 2nd), best goals against average in a single season (2.05) and best save percentage (.922).

TEAM COWEN-ADA...Defenseman Jared Cowen was named an Alternate Captain and helped Team Canada win a gold medal at the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka under-18 World Championships. Cowen is in his second season in a Spokane jersey. In his rookie season, Jared Cowen appeared in 68 games, scored four goals and 18 points. His +28 led all rookie defenseman in 2007-08. Cowen is eligible for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

BARTMAN...Brett Bartman is +13 on the season. The 19-year-old posted a career high +6 in a 6-2 win over the Kamloops Blazers on Tuesday, September 30th. Bartman appeared in 48 games last season with six assists and a +16.

KEEPING UP WITH JOHNSON...Spokane's own Tyler Johnson has two goals and eight points in his last nine games and leads the Chiefs with four game winning goals, including a breakaway with seven minutes remaining to snap a 1-1 tie on October 25th versus the Prince George Cougars. Johnson had one goal and two assists in a 6-2 win at Portland on October 10th and has five goals and 18 points in 17 games. Johnson attended the Phoenix Coyotes camp in the pre-season and was named the Western Hockey League Finals MVP after scoring three goals in four games, including game winners in games three and four against the Lethbridge Hurricanes. In 2007-08, Johnson led all Chiefs rookies with 69 games, 13 goals and 35 points.

COMPTON'S CORNER...Twenty-year-old forward Seth Compton is in his fifth season in the WHL, all with the Chiefs, and has played in 246 career games (23rd in franchise history), including a career high 71 games in 2007-08. Compton also scored a career high 13 goals and 20 points last year. Compton was named the Player's Player after last season.

DRAFTED PLAYERS... Drayson Bowman (Carolina, 3rd round, 2007), Justin McCrae (Carolina, 4th round, 2007), Mitch Wahl (Calgary, 2nd round, 2008), Dustin Tokarski (Tampa Bay, 5th round, 2008), Jared Spurgeon (NY Islanders, 6th round, 2008)

INJURY REPORT...Justin McCrae (knee, week-to-week)

Check out the Spokane Chiefs Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from November 18, 2008


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