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WHL Spokane Chiefs

Young Chiefs Shine in Dominant 7-3 Victory over Rival Americans

January 1, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Spokane Chiefs News Release


Kennewick, Wash. - The Spokane Chiefs rung in the new year with a dominant 7-3 victory on the road over the rival Tri-City Americans in their annual New Year's Eve match-up.

The Chiefs wasted no time getting on the board early as James Form opened the scoring at 2:12 with his first goal since being acquired earlier this month. Defenseman Logan Cunningham and winger Erik Atchison earned assists on the play.

Spokane followed that up with back-to-back scores, first by Blake Swetlikoff off a rebound from defenseman Saige Weinstein at 8:22, then from Luke Toporowski at 12:06 to make it 3-0.

In the first period, the Chiefs held the Americans to just one goal - scored by Parker Bell with four and a half minutes left in the frame.

Swetlikoff got things going in the second period with his second goal of the night at 8:33, this time a power play goal with help from Cordel Larson and rookie winger Yannick Proske. With the assist, Proske extends his point streak to five games.

Tri-City answered with a goal from Jake Sloan five minutes later to make it 4-2, Chiefs. Toward the end of the period, American goalie Nick Avakyan came out of the crease to clear the puck, but rookie winger Kooper Gizowski was there to stop it in its tracks. He swiped it to the left circle and fired it into the empty net to give the Chiefs a 5-2 lead to close out the frame.

Toporowski started things off in the third with his thirteenth goal of the season at 5:37. Dwayne Jean Jr. responded for the Americans five minutes later to make it 6-3, but that'd be as close as Tri-City got.

With just 1:43 left in the game, rookie defenseman Timafey Kovgoreniya intercepted a pass and took it the other way, tossing it in the air and then backhanding it into the empty net waiting at the other side of the ice. That would seal the deal for Spokane, ending the year with a 7-3 victory.

Rookie netminder Manny Panghli got the start in net for Spokane and turned aside 19 of 22 shots faced, while rookie Nick Avakyan denied 25 of 31 shots from the Chiefs.

Some of Spokane's youngest players (all 16-to-18-year-olds) thrived Friday night, with Cunningham, Gizowski, Kovgoreniya, Proske, Swetlikoff and Weinstein all tallying points throughout the game, including three for Swetlikoff and two for Weinstein - his first multi-point effort. Related Links

The Chiefs outshot the Americans in every period, 32-22 in total and went 1-for-4 on the power play and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

Up next, the Chiefs will travel back to Spokane to host the same Americans on New Year's Day at 7:05 p.m. It's Washington's Lottery Night as the first 2,000 fans 18 and older through the gates will receive a Spokane Chiefs can koozie courtesy of Washington's Lottery.

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The Spokane Chiefs are a member of the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey league, the world's finest development league for junior hockey players. Since 1985 the Chiefs have been a pillar in the Spokane community, offering family-friendly entertainment and a winning tradition which includes: two Memorial Cup Championships in 1991 & 2008, two WHL Championships in 1991 & 2008 and four Western Conference Championships in 1991, 1996, 2000 & 2008. Over 60 alumni have gone on to play in the National Hockey League.

The Chiefs' next home game is Saturday, January 1 versus the Tri-City Americans. It's Washington's Lottery Night as the first 2,000 fans 18 and older through the gates will receive a Spokane Chiefs can koozie courtesy of Washington's Lottery. Tickets for all regular season games are available online at spokanechiefs.com/tickets.

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