Chiefs drop another
The defensive-minded Spokane Chiefs had their worst defensive effort of the season and wasted a hat trick by Kyle Beach in a 5-4 loss to Brandon at the Arena.
Keep reading for the unedited game story that I filed for Thursday's paper.
This was the kind of game a team with high expectations can’t
lose.
It was a defensive disaster.
The Chiefs (5-5-1, 11 points) coughed up a 3-1 lead after the first period and gave up the game winner just 22 seconds after tying the game with just more than five minutes to play.
“It does (surprise me) actually,”
It is a game best forgotten because there is precious little time
to practice with three straight games beginning Friday, including a home game
against
“We were a little hesitant in our own end,” Sauter said. “As soon
as you double clutch or double think, you usually end up … out of position.
The Wheat Kings’ top line features three NHL draftees, including
a pair of 2009 first-round –
Maybe the firepower of
“I don’t know if there is anything to the thought process like that but on a night your d play slow and the other team is playing quick, you’re in trouble,” Sauter said. “It was the absolute worst speed differential we’ve had in a long time.”
The defensive collapse wasted a three-goal night by Kyle Beach, but he was quick to point out it was just the defensive making mistakes.
“Costly turnovers at the blue line and we just didn’t make up for them,” Beach said. “We’re cheating for offense. Defense wins championships. I know it’s a cliché. Wahl can go out there and score three goals, I can go out there and score three goals, anyone on this team can go out there and score three goals but if we don’t have defense we’re still going to lose.
“I don’t know what we have to do here. We talked about it, it’s been looked at that for sure. It’s about time guys start having accountability, myself included, one of those goals I’d like to have back.”
For the ninth time in the 11 games the Chiefs gave up the first goal. In this case it was Glennie on a breakaway just 25 seconds into the game.
But
Koper evened it with a crossing backhander at 4:23 after Kenton Miller dug the puck out of the corner. Beach got his first goal when he jabbed in his own rebound while parked in front of the net. That was at 12:25 and less than two minutes later he picked up his seventh of the season on the power play when his wrister from the left circle dribbled in after Andrew Hayes made the initial stop.
At 13:01 of the third period Calvert put a shot at Reid’s head and Schenn banged in the rebound. Beach tied it at 14:20. Wahl swooped around the net and found Beach breaking to the goal from the right circle.
But that lead was short-lived as Schenn connected from the left circle.
“I know they’re going to play better in the next game, they’re just too good not to,” Sauter said. “I think there is maybe a little bit of lack of confidence but we’ll get that all straightened out. It will take some hard work and a game or two to get our confidence back.”