Silvertips strike early, send Chiefs to sixth loss in a row

The Spokane Chiefs didn’t do much to help themselves once they fell behind on the scoreboard Saturday night.

The Chiefs trailed by three goals before the first period had concluded, and host Everett cruised to a 4-1 win in a Western Hockey League game.

The loss was Spokane’s sixth straight dating back to Oct. 23. The Chiefs are winless in four games against Everett since Oct. 30.

Jacob Wright scored Everett’s first goal 6 minutes, 55 seconds into the contest.

The Chiefs were slow to respond and mustered only four of their 23 shots in the opening period.

Spokane left winger Ty Cheveldayoff was penalized for slashing, and the Silvertips doubled their lead on the ensuing power play with Olen Zellweger’s one-timer at the 14:30 mark.

Carter Streek was penalized for roughing less than one minute later, leaving the Chiefs a man down on the ice again. Everett’s Jackson Berezowski scored on the power play at 16:37 to boost his team’s lead to 3-0.

Michal Gut, who was credited with assists on the Silvertips’ two previous goals, tallied one of his own at 10:52 of the second period for a four-goal cushion.

The Chiefs produced just seven shots in the second period.

Yannick Proske scored an unassisted goal – his third of the season – for Spokane six minutes into the third period.

Ronan Seeley had three assists for Everett, which finished with a 38-23 advantage in shots on net.

Mason Beaupit made 34 saves for Spokane.

Everett goaltender Braden Holt stopped 22 shots.