Chiefs triumph in their home finale
One of the Chiefs’ 20-year-olds finished his last major junior home game in storybook fashion while the other watched.
Brad Erickson’s power-play goal at the 11-minute, 58-second mark of the third period allowed the Spokane Chiefs to defeat the Kootenay Ice 2-1 in a Western Hockey League game on Friday night at the Arena in the team’s home finale.
Erickson, acquired just before the trade deadline, tapped in a rebound of a Derek Ryan shot at the right post to win it and extend the Chiefs win streak to four.
“It’s a bit overwhelming,” said Erickson, an over-ager. “The fans were really behind me. It’s quite an honor.”
Kootenay took a 1-0 lead after one period on a goal by Ben Maxwell at the 9:29 mark of the first. Despite having Seth Compton draped over him, Maxwell took a perfect feed in the left slot and redirected the puck past Spokane goalie Kevin Armstrong low to the stick side.
The Chiefs came back to tie the game in the second period when team goal-scoring leader Michael Grabner beat Kootenay goalie Taylor Dakers top shelf with a great one-man effort in front of the net at the 5:04 mark of the second.
Despite two power-play opportunities for Spokane before the end of the period, that’s the way it ended after two.
Captain Jeff Lynch, the Chiefs’ other 20-year-old, was on the Arena ice for one last time, but couldn’t play because of a season-ending shoulder injury which he sustained on Jan. 16. He’s spent the past few weeks working out at his family’s home.
“It’s tough not being in the locker room with the guys and not being with the team for the last 20 games,” Lynch said. “It’s a little tough to handle because I feel like I missed a lot.”
Armstrong was stellar, capping the night off with a stoning of Adam Cracknell in the final 1:10 to seal the win while the Chiefs were on the penalty kill and Kootenay having pulled Dakers.
“I saw the puck at the last minute and just tried to cover the net as much as I could (while prone on the ice),” said Armstrong, who finished with 35 saves. “I guess it was a little bit of luck, but I got it, so it was good.”
Spokane (25-38-5-3, 58 points) finishes its season tonight on the road against the Ice.