McIsaac, Preston Log Four-Point Nights as Chiefs Improve to 3-0 in Conference Finals

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WHL Spokane Chiefs

McIsaac, Preston Log Four-Point Nights as Chiefs Improve to 3-0 in Conference Finals

May 1, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


Portland, Ore. - The Spokane Chiefs advance to a 3-0 series lead in the WHL Western Conference Championship after a goal-filled 8-5 victory over the Portland Winterhawks Wednesday night.

It was Sunday's overtime winner Chase Harrington who opened the scoring at 11:28 in the first. St. Louis Blues defenseman prospect Will McIsaac slid a pass from the slot to a netside Harrington, who chipped it into the corner for his sixth goal of the post-season.

The Chiefs' lead didn't last long, though, as Tyson Jugnauth capitalized on a power play to tie things up at 15:32.

With less than two minutes to go in the period, Berkly Catton won a faceoff and the puck found its way out to defenseman Nathan Mayes who fired a laser to the twine to regain a 2-1 Spokane lead. McIsaac earned his second assist of the night on the play.

The assist marked Catton's 34th point of the post-season, breaking Jason Podollan's single playoff season record of 33 points in 1996. The Captain's 26 assists are also the most in a playoff run in Chiefs history.

Dawson Cowan stood tall in net for Spokane, making some big saves throughout the opening frame to keep the game close. He stopped all but one of Portland's 15 shots in the first 20 minutes of play.

Things ramped up in the middle frame, starting with a power play goal from Diego Buttazzoni to once again even the score at two apiece at 6:39.

Owen Martin answered with a pivot move in front of the net to flip the puck over the line for Spokane's third goal of the night at 10:46. Sam Oremba and Mathis Preston earned assists on the play.

McIsaac picked up his third point of the night soon after, this time with a goal of his own at 13:32 to push the Chiefs' lead to 4-2. Preston chipped in his third assist of the game.

But Buttazzoni wasn't having it, as he cut the lead to 4-3 to put the Winterhawks within one just 42 seconds later.

Spokane's top line responded with a beautiful tic-tac-toe goal with just over a minute remaining in the period. Cristall rushed up the left boards before sliding the puck back to Catton, who pushed it across the ice to Brayden Crampton. Crampton got it back over to Cristall, who polished it off for his 18th goal of the post-season and the Chiefs' fifth goal of the game.

The 'Hawks squeaked a last-minute goal by Cowan at 19:17, though, to keep it a one-goal game heading into the second break.

Portland kept that momentum going into the third and were quick to tie it up at 2:47 thanks to Zakreski's 10th goal of the playoffs.

Just a minute and a half later, Coco Armstrong found his first goal of the post-season after cleaning up a rebound out front to make it 6-5. The Chiefs piled on from there, as Preston turned goal-scorer for his fourth point of the night after firing a puck over the goalie's shoulder and to the twine at 5:59.

At the 8:11 mark, Kazakh rookie Assanali Sarkenov netted his fifth goal of the series with help from Chase Harrington to put Spokane up 8-5.

By the end of the night, five Chiefs had multi-point efforts: Will McIsaac (1G-3A), Owen Martin (1G-1A), Chase Harrington (1G-2A), and Mathis Preston (1G-3A). McIsaac and Armstrong netted their first career playoff goals on the way to the Chiefs' third-straight win of the series.

Up next, the Chiefs will look to finish the series in Game 4 in Portland Thursday night.

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