Chiefs take down Portland in wild overtime game

WHL leading goal-scorer Adam Beckman did what he does best throughout the opening frame, striking twice to give the Chiefs a 2-0 lead before the 10-minute mark of the game. The Minnesota Wild prospect’s second marker came with Spokane on the power play, giving Beckman 13 such goals on the season, which leads the league.

A separate NHL prospect extended the Chiefs’ lead to 3-0 at the 3:25 mark of the second period when New Jersey Devils prospect Ty Smith was found crashing the net and flipped it by Winterhawks net minder Joel Hofer. Smith’s score was the first of six combined second-period goals as Eli Zummack and Leif Mattson each picked up their first of the night in the stanza as well. Portland connected for three goals during the frame and trailed 5-3 entering the second break after being behind by four at the 11:22 mark.

Spokane’s Cordel Larson opened the third period with a score at the 1:05 mark that pushed the Chiefs’ lead back to three, but three consecutive scores by Portland–including the game-tying goal by Jaydon Dureau at 19:18 with the Winterhawks holding a man advantage–ticketed things to be decided in overtime. Box Score: SPO (7) at POR (6) – OT

The Chiefs outshot the Winterhawks 4-2 in the overtime period, but it was Jack Finley’s marker at 4:04 that sealed the victory for Spokane. Both Beckman (3rd) and Smith (1st) earned stars in the game as each ended the night with a goal and three assists.

Spokane’s Lukas Parik came away with the win, stopping 42-of-48 while Hofer was 33-of-40 for Portland. The Chiefs went 1-for-2 on the power play and the Winterhawks were a perfect 2-for-2.