Dawson Cowan stellar in net, but third period flurry dooms Spokane Chiefs in home opener

Brayden Crampton and Dawson Cowan are both off to great starts to the Western Hockey League season. The pattern continued for both Saturday night.

Crampton scored in the first period and Cowan saved 42 of 45 shots, but a flurry of scoring by the visitors to start the third period spoiled the Spokane Chiefs’ home opener as they fell to the Tri-City Americans 3-1 at the Arena.

Crampton, an 18-year-old defenseman, entered play with five assists in the Chiefs’ first two games. Cowan saved 36 of 37 shots in a 4-1 win at Everett last Sunday.

The Chiefs led 1-0 entering the third period on Crampton’s early power-play goal. But Tri-City dominated play and scored twice in a 5-minute span to start the third period.

“I think we stumbled and bumbled here tonight,” Chiefs coach Ryan Smith said. “The second and third periods were not very good. … We got what we deserved.

“It was us making mistakes and giving them chances. We turned the puck over three times, and they put the puck in the net all three times.”

The Americans produced good pressure on the Chiefs’ net early in the third period, with Cowan grabbing a tough glove save 4 minutes into the period.

But that sustained pressure finally caught up with the home team. A turnover in the right corner led to a wide-open Andrew Fan in the crease, who dumped it into the yawning net to even it up at 5:23 of the third.

“They stuck to their plan, took advantage of our mistakes and buried them,” Smith said.

The Chiefs had several good attempts in the ensuing few minutes, with Chase Bertholet hitting the pipe and Jaren Brinson just missing glove side from short range.

But another turnover in the defensive end put the puck on Deagan McMillan’s stick in the slot, and he beat Cowan before the goalie could react to put Tri-City up 2-1 with 9:44 left.

“Obviously, there was a momentum change,” Cowan said. “ ‘Tri’ kind of got going there. I thought we battled, though.”

McMillan was sent off for cross-checking a minute later. But Berkly Catton was stymied twice from the dot and Bertholet fanned on a rebound at the post.

McMillan added an insurance goal with just more than 2 minutes to go after another defensive zone turnover.

“It was one of those games we just have to learn from, move on and get back to work Monday,” Cowan said.

The first penalty of the game came 11½ minutes into the first period as Chiefs winger Ty Cheveldayoff – in his first game of the season after returning from Vegas Golden Knights camp last week – got tied up with a Tri-City defenseman at the post and was called for roughing.

Cowan made a couple of pad saves, but nothing from in close, and the Chiefs killed off the infraction. He was tested a couple of minutes later, as a tip by McMillan surprised him a bit, but the 18-year-old goalie covered without a rebound.

Spokane was awarded its first power play of the game with just under 6 minutes in the period after Brinson was spun down in the Chiefs’ defensive end by Tyson Greenway.

Conner Roulette got a solid shot off from the right circle and the rebound went back to the point, where Crampton collected it. He drifted to the high slot and slung it through a crowd past T-C goalie Lukas Matecha for the game’s first goal at 15:25.

“I had the perfect angle,” Crampton said. “(Cheveldayoff) made a great screen and I got it just around him.”

Midway through the second period, with the teams playing 4-on-4 due to coincidental minors, Chiefs defenseman Saige Weinstein was whistled for tripping and Tri-City received 75 seconds of 4-on-3. Cowan made a couple of stellar kick saves on shots from the high slot early and the Chiefs escaped with the lead intact.

Moments after a Spokane power play expired. Tri-City came back the other way on a 2-on-1. Jordan Gavin got an unobstructed point-blank shot from the slot, but Cowan kicked it aside without a rebound.

He made another stellar save with 2:48 left on a rebound attempt on the doorstep by Greenway. A bad turnover led to another odd-man rush a minute later but Cowan was again up to the task.

“We’re young, it’s our third game,” Crampton said. “We have lots to learn. We’ll get back to it on Monday.”