WHL Spokane Chiefs

Chiefs weekly

Published on October 25, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


Friday, October 29th vs. SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS AIR-6:30 GAME-7:00

The Chiefs will host the Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday, October 29th in their first of nine meetings on the season. The Chiefs will host Seattle four times and travel to play in the Key Arena five times. Spokane will travel to Seattle for the first time on November 19th. The Chiefs won six of eight games last season versus Seattle, going 3-1 in both buildings. Jim Watt posted a 2.01 GAA and .943 save percentage shutting out the Thunderbirds once. Chad Klassen has two goals and five assists in eight games. Gary Gladue was +6 in eight match-ups. The Chiefs were 30-36 (83.3%) on the penalty kill. Each time the Chiefs scored the first goal of the game, five times, Spokane won the game. The Chiefs were 1-2 when Seattle scored first.

Saturday, October 30th at TRI-CITY AMERICANS AIR-6:30 GAME-7:00

The Chiefs will travel to Tri-City for the second time this season in the Chiefs and Americans third match-up of the year. The Chiefs are 2-0 with wins in Spokane and Tri-City this season. Nine different players scored goals on October 16th at Tri-City in a 9-5 win. After giving up the first two goals of the game, the Chiefs scored nine in a row. Spokane earned a 3-0 win over Tri-City on Saturday, October 9th in the Spokane Arena. Jim Watt stopped 29 shots in his first shutout of the season and Spokane put 50 pucks on net. Chad Klassen has one goal and four assists and Ned Lukacevic has five assists in two games. The Chiefs finished last year's season series with a 5-4-1-2 record with all five wins coming at home. The Americans will be back in Spokane on Saturday, November 6th.

LAST WEEK

Friday, October 22nd SPOKANE-2 vs. PORTLAND-1 OT

Scott Lynch's snap shot from the right circle with just 33-seconds remaining in overtime found the back of the net as the Spokane Chiefs defeated the Portland Winter Hawks 2-1 on Friday night in the Spokane Arena. Spokane's Jim Watt stopped 34 saves, including 12 in the first and third periods, and Portland's Blake Grenier made 27. Following a scoreless first period, Matt McCue scored his first goal as a Chief 6:45 into the second as he snapped in a wrister from the right point for a 1-0 Spokane lead. Chad Klassen and Adam Hobson each had assists. With just 11-seconds remaining in regulation and Grenier on the bench for an extra attacker, Portland's Brandon Dubinsky deflected the puck into the net to tie the game and send it into overtime. The game winner was scored by Lynch after Sean Zimmerman rolled the puck across the slot to an open Lynch, who collected the puck and snapped it home for the game winner. Klassen had the other assist to finish with two points.

Saturday, October 23rd SPOKANE-1 vs. KAMLOOPS-6

The Spokane Chiefs dropped a 6-1 decision to the Kamloops Blazers on Saturday night in the Spokane Arena after the visitors scored three goals in each the first and second period. Spokane split two games at home on the weekend, defeating the Portland Winter Hawks 2-1 in overtime on Friday before losing for just the second time on home ice this year. The Chiefs scored the first goal of the game 4:09 into the contest when Chris Bruton tallied his fifth of the season. The 17-year-old rookie came from behind the net and snapped it between the pads of Devan Dubynk, the Blazer starting netminder. Kamloops tied it up at 12:30 of the first and scored twice in the span of 46-seconds later in the period for a 3-1 lead. In the second, Kamloops scored goals at 14:06, 14:42 and 16:43. The Chiefs were perfect on the penalty kill, going 5-5. Kirk Irving made his first start as a Chief and stopped 12 shots. Jim Watt made 11 saves.

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 ended a string of nine consecutive games with a power play on October 23rd versus Kamloops. The Chiefs are seventh in the WHL with a power play percentage of 19.0.WHWHL

KILL ‘EM ALL...The Chiefs have allowed just one power play goal at home this year and have killed 22-23 (95.7%) this season in the Spokane Arena. Overall, the Chiefs have allowed just six power play goals and are 39-45 (86.7%)

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, 10 assists and 14 points in his last seven games. In 10 games this year, Klassen has points in eight, including three points twice. His 16 total points tie him for eighth overall 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 had a four game point scoring streak snapped on October 23rd versus Kamloops. Hobson had one goal and seven points in that span. 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 the win. The Edmonton, Alberta native equaled a franchise record with four shutouts in 2003-04. 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 eight of 10 games this year and is the second highest scoring defenseman in the WHL with three goals and 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 1993-94.

GLADUE COULD BE HERE...Twenty-year-old defenseman Gary Gladue is +4 in his last six games. Gladue has appeared in 242 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 had a four game point scoring streak snapped on October 23rd. Zimmerman had four assists in that span. 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 second in the WHL in penalty minutes with 64 through 10 games. Stoesz led all Chiefs rookies a year ago with 128 penalty minutes.

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 five goals this season, third most for any rookie. Bruton was an eighth round selection in the 2002 WHL Bantam Draft.

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.

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 239 career games, all in a Chiefs sweater, putting him 19th on the franchise's all-time list.

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 10 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, day-to-day)

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 25, 2004


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