Chase Bertholet scores twice, Berkly Catton with four assists; Spokane Chiefs beat Tri-City 6-2 for third straight win

You know what they call three wins in a row? A winning streak. For the first time in two years, the Spokane Chiefs know what that feels like.

“It’s been a long time since it’s happened, so I’m happy whatever you want to call it,” Chiefs coach Ryan Smith said.

Chase Bertholet scored two goals, Berkly Catton had four assists and the Chiefs beat the Tri-City Americans 6-2 in a Western Hockey League game in front of a near-capacity crowd at the Arena on Saturday.

Bertholet’s second goal was the 10,000th goal in franchise history – in its 2,697th game. Catton assisted on the goal and finished with four helpers.

“It’s the first (streak) we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Catton said. “It’s huge for us and I think we’re just gonna keep building on this.”

“Every line contributed in a great way, and that’s what it takes to win games – when all four lines are buzzing,” Bertholet said. “I think the last few games that’s been the case, so I’m really proud of proud of the guys right now.”

The Chiefs (13-16-3-0) led 3-1 entering the third period, but Tri-City (15-15-2-1) made it a one-goal game 4½ minutes into the period, with Lukas Dragicevic’s goal confirmed after a lengthy review.

But the Chiefs answered before the public address finished announcing the goal as Ben Bonni tipped home a shot from the point by Saige Weinstein to make it 4-2 just 13 seconds after the Tri-City goal.

Bonni, a converted defenseman, notched his career-high fifth goal of the season.

Three minutes later, Conner Roulette banged one home in the crease off a pass from Catton with just more than 12 minutes remaining for insurance for his team-leading 23rd of the season.

Weinstein made it 6-2 a couple of minutes later with his third goal of the season – again from Catton.

“When you play with these guys a certain amount you start to remember kind of what they do in the past,” Catton said. “I know that (Bertholet) likes to go to the back door and (Weinstein) likes to kind of beat his guy down the wall there and through the middle. So, I just kind of remember that.”

“This is one of our better games,” Smith said. “A complete start to finish. I thought the third period, again, we gave up one there early but got it back right away and we built off that. Our thirds have been good. We’ve got to continue to know how to close games out. But so proud of the guys that played 60 minutes.”

Spokane was the beneficiary of an early power play when Parker Bell was whistled for hooking just 46 seconds into the contest. The Chiefs made good with the extra skater, as Rasmus Ekström banged home a long rebound off a deflected shot by Bertholet. It was Ekström’s seventh goal of the season.

Bertholet made it 2-0 a little more than 8 minutes in, taking a pass from Roulette and snapping it past Tri-City goalie Kyle Kelsey for his ninth goal of the season.

Tri-City halved the deficit with 6 minutes left in the period as Cash Koch’s shot from the point got through a screen and past Chiefs goalie Dawson Cowan (31 saves).

The historic goal came a skater down early in the second period. With Nathan Mayes in the box for hooking, Catton corralled a puck in the offensive zone, spun and sent a backhanded pass to Bertholet, who was streaking in on the left wing. Bertholet redirected the pass into the empty net to give Spokane a 3-1 lead.

“I wasn’t even sure what happened there,” Bertholet said. “They were yelling to grab the puck – I was so confused. So no, it’s awesome to be a part of Chiefs history.”

“(Catton) sees the ice so well,” Smith said. “Those guys read off each other – and Roulette as well – and they’re hard to handle when they’re on and tonight they were really on.”

The Chiefs went down two skaters midway through the frame when Weinstein threw the puck off the playing surface trying to clear the zone with Hayden Paupanekis already in the box for hooking, resulting in 90 seconds of five-on-three hockey.

But Cowan came up with a big save on a point-blank shot, and Ty Cheveldayoff laid out to block a slap shot from the point and the Chiefs killed off the infractions.

“The penalty kill tonight probably changed the game, that extended five on three,” Smith said. “The guys did a great job and (Cowan) was the main killer there.”

“If we play like that, we’re a force to be reckoned with,” Catton said. “We have a really special team and I think we’re just starting to figure out how to play our hockey.”