Spokane Chiefs erupt for four goals in second period against Tri-City Americans, earn first win

One prolific period has the Spokane Chiefs feeling much better.

Spokane erupted for four goals in a 13-minute span in the second period Saturday night, and the Chiefs tallied three goals on the power play to earn their first victory of the season with a 5-1 win over Tri-City in a Western Hockey League game in Kennewick.

The Americans, which had beaten Spokane one week earlier in both teams’ season openers, seized a 1-0 lead when Lukas Dragicevic scored 16:24 into the opening period.

The Chiefs’ Bear Hughes scored the first of his two goals 28 seconds into the second period following a pass from Reed Jacobson to even the score at 1-all. Hughes beat Tri-City goaltender Talyn Boyko for a power-play goal at the 8:26 mark of the period to give Spokane a 2-1 lead.

Luke Toporowski, who attempted a team-high five shots on net, scored on another play two minutes later for a 3-1 cushion. Yannick Proske’s goal at 13:19 in the period boosted the Chiefs’ advantage to 4-1.

Spokane outshot the Americans 12-7 in the second period.

Graham Sward capped the Chiefs’ night with a goal 2:59 into the third period. Hughes assisted on the tally.

The Chiefs’ Campbell Arnold stopped 24 of 25 shots.

Right-winger Cordel Larson was credited with two assists for Spokane, which finished 3 for 6 on the power play.

Boyko made 21 saves for Tri-City, which went scoreless on six power-play opportunities.