Spokane Chiefs build big league, hold off Tri-City 9-6 in ‘disappointing’ home win

The Spokane Chiefs scored a lot of goals Friday, and usually that’s a good thing.

But they also gave up a lot, occasionally in a disappointing manner, leaving a bad taste to what should have been an easy win against a traditional U.S. Division rival.

Berkly Catton scored two goals with three assists, Owen Martin added a pair of goals and the Spokane Chiefs built a 6-1 lead before holding off the Tri-City Americans in a 9-6 win at the Arena that was harder than it should have been.

Chiefs (38-16-1-1) have won eight of their past 10 games. They trail division and Western Conference-leading Everett by nine points with 12 games to play in the regular season. The Chiefs have a game in hand and two meetings left with the Silvertips on March 12 and 16 in Spokane.

Mathis Preston scored twice, Andrew Cristall had a five-point night and Shea Van Olm scored his league-leading 45th goal for Spokane. But as good as the first period was, when the Chiefs built a 5-0 lead, the rest of the game came as a disappointment to coach Brad Lauer.

“The first period was outstanding, and then the last two periods were pond hockey,” Lauer said. “Uncharacteristic. We had a lot of guys that didn’t show up in the second and third period.”

The Chiefs outshot Tri-City 39-19 but gave up four goals on nine shots in the second period and allowed two short-handed goals.

“That’s just lazy,” Lauer said. “Lazy mistakes and forcing things and trying to make things that aren’t there.”

Starting goalie Dawson Cowan was lifted at 14:16 of the second period after allowing his fourth goal in 14 shots. Back-up Carter Esler wasn’t much better in 25-plus minutes of work – he faced five shots and gave up two goals.

It’s tougher to take since the performance came against the Chiefs’ closest Western Hockey League rival.

“I guess that’s what’s frustrating about it,” Lauer said. “We play so well, we do the things that we talk about, then we don’t want to do it for the second and third period. That’s just immature. And it’s not excusable at this point in the season.”

The first shift of the game for the top line resulted in a goal. Cristall bounced a pass off the right wing boards to Catton, who carried the puck below the goal line. He then dished it to Van Olm out front, who shoved it past Tri-City goalie Lukas Matecha just 59 seconds into the game.

Preston made it 2-0 at 4:53 of the period with a wicked wrist shot from the left wing dot for his 18th of the season.

With 7:52 left in the first period, the top line cashed in again. Catton beat a defender to the outside and dished to Cristall, who carried behind the goal then flipped the puck off Matecha’s backside and into the goal for his 40th of the season.

The trio made it 4-0 with a little more than two minutes left in the period. Cristall’s shot stunned Matecha, and in the ensuing goal-line scramble Catton tucked it in for his 32nd goal of the season.

The Chiefs weren’t done, though. Just 28.6 seconds later, they made it 5-0, as Martin won a faceoff straight to Preston in the slot, who banged it home for his second of the game.

The Americans (28-23-4-1) changed goalies at intermission and took a spark, getting a goal back just 15 seconds into the second period when Jake Gudelj scored his 14th of the season.

Tri-City received the game’s first power play a few minutes later, but it was the Chiefs who added to their score. Saige Weinstein’s outlet pass sprung Martin on a breakaway and the 17-year-old beat backup goalie Ryan Grout for his ninth goal of the season and a 6-1 lead.

Martin played just his 31st game of the season due to injury.

“He missed a lot of hockey, and he is playing catch up,” Lauer said. “It’s nice to see that he’s getting on the board. He’s doing some good things.”

There was no quit in the Americans, though. Cash Koch picked up a turnover and scored an unassisted goal, then after killing a penalty Savin Virk made it 6-3 with his 16th of the season at 11:58 of the period.

The Chiefs made good on their next power play, with Martin banging home a rebound for his second of the game and 10th of the season. Tri-City’s Charlie Elick scored off a face-off play moments later to make it a three-goal game again, and Lauer pulled Cowan in favor of rookie Carter Esler.

Catton faked out Grout and scored his second of the game barely a minute later.

Just about six minutes into the third period, the Chiefs turned it over in their zone and TC’s Max Curran capitalized, beating Esler for his 19th goal of the season.

The Chiefs added an insurance goal with 4:03 to play. Rasmus Ekström tipped Brayden Crampton’s shot from the point past Grout for his 21st of the season and the Chiefs held on.