Spokane Chiefs can't dig out of big hole, lose fifth straight at Calgary 7-4
Jan. 12—From staff reports
CALGARY, Alberta — Ethan Moore scored two goals, his seventh and eighth of the season, and the Calgary Hitmen built a big lead and held off the Spokane Chiefs 7-4 in a rare Western Hockey League day game at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday.
Spokane (14-20-4-0) lost its fifth game in a row on its seasonlong, seven-game road trip. The Chiefs finish the trip Sunday in Edmonton and return to the Arena Friday against Everett.
Calgary's Carson Wetsch started the scoring less than two minutes into the first period with his 14th goal of the season. The Hitmen made it 2-0 midway through the period on Moore's first of the day.
Conner Roulette halved the Chiefs' deficit with this 26th goal of the season with eight seconds left in the first period.
Calgary (16-17-5-1) scored three straight goals in the second period, started by Moore just two minutes in and capped by Oliver Tulk's 23rd of the season.
Spokane's Hayden Paupanekis poked home a rebound which was confirmed by video replay at 14:51 of the second period, and Berkly Catton found defenseman Saige Weinstein on the far post a little more than three minutes into the season to make it a two-goal game.
The Chiefs got several good looks to get closer, but Calgary netminder Ethan Buenaventura (34 saves) was equal to the task.
Calgary pushed the lead back to three with six minutes remaining on Tyson Greenway's fourth goal of the season.
Spokane outshot Calgary 38-32. Chiefs goalie Cooper Michaluk made 25 saves.
