WHL Championship: Spokane Chiefs bounce back from Game 1 loss, take advantage as series shifts back to Arena

The Spokane Chiefs weren’t happy with their performance in Game 1 of the Western Hockey League Championship series, a 4-1 loss in Medicine Hat that was closer than the score appeared – it was a one-goal game in the third period before a bit of a lucky bounce and an empty-net goal.

But it also could have been much worse, as goalie Dawson Cowan was tested time and again – with several opportunities coming on odd-man rushes – in a second period that the Tigers completely dominated.

So, if coach Brad Lauer was a little anxious about the response in Sunday’s Game 2, then Medicine Hat’s goal 55 seconds into the game – the second straight contest the Chiefs gave up a goal in the first minute – didn’t do anything to alleviate that.

But unlike Friday’s game, the Chiefs were the next to score. And score. And score. And score again.

Four consecutive goals in the span of 4 minutes, 36 seconds, gave the Chiefs some beathing room. And after weathering a penalty-filled second period, the visitors added onto their lead in the third to pull away, shifting all the momentum to their side heading back to Spokane for the next three games.

“We talked about the importance of our start. We wanted to have a good start,” Lauer said. “And, you know, (Medicine Hat) got that (early goal). I mean, they were just as ready. But I liked our bench. We were all saying the right things.”

It easily could have gone the other way, as it did when Medicine Hat added onto its lead in Friday’s game. The Chiefs have allowed the first goal in 12 of their 17 playoff games.

“It didn’t really phase us. You know, we stuck with it, like we have for most of the playoffs,” Lauer said. “When we get down, we stuck with it. We just kept chipping away. Finally, I thought, we got our legs going and got our legs underneath us.”

Chiefs captain Berkly Catton added to his highlight reel, taking a puck at the blue line, weaving through defenders then deking the goalie before sliding the puck between his legs for his 10th goal of the playoffs, starting a virtual avalanche of goals from the road team, which quieted the raucous crowd significantly.

“He obviously understood the importance of this game,” Lauer said. “And him being our captain, the way he played, the way he came out and skated with the puck – he wanted to make sure that we weren’t going to lose this game.”

“I thought Spokane played really well, you know,” Medicine Hat coach Willie Dejardins said. “I thought they were quicker than us in the first period. They were just a little bit hungrier. I don’t think there’s much more than that. They just played a really good game, and they outplayed us tonight.”

Catton wasn’t available after the game, but linemate Andrew Cristall thought the outburst was important for the Chiefs. Catton added an assist, Shea Van Olm had a goal and an assist, and Cristall added two helpers.

“We obviously wanted to have a little bit more of a bounce back game,” he said. “I thought 5-on-5 we played pretty well. So yeah, it gives us a lot of confidence, especially heading back home.”

After Game 1, Lauer said he and the staff would go right back to work analyzing game film about what they might want to do differently or what they would need to shore up. But after Game 2, he said he realized that he liked a lot of their performance in Game 1, and outside of taking care of the puck a little better, there really wasn’t that much they needed to change.

The Chiefs were indeed much better in their puck possession in Game 2, and the results showed it.

“With these guys here, it doesn’t take a lot (of instruction). We didn’t have to show them too much, just some conversation we had,” Lauer said. “And then we back it up a little bit of video. After the game when we lost, we kind of asked them some questions about what we needed to be better at. You know, they had all the right answers, so they kind of knew what we needed to focus on.”

Due to quirks in the series schedule, the next three games will be contested in Spokane. The Chiefs thought it was critical to earn a split in the first two games.

“I think this is going to be a long series,” Lauer said. “We’re a team that doesn’t (look) too far down the road, we’re just thinking of the next game. So obviously that first game back home is going to be important for us. You know, we’ve got to make sure we’re ready.”