Spokane Chiefs give up three goals in 4 1/2 minutes to start third period; fall to Wenatchee 4-3

Dec. 10—For the first two periods of the game Sunday evening, the Spokane Chiefs owned the better of the play and the scoreboard, taking a two-goal lead into the third period against the first-place team in the U.S. Division.

Unfortunately, the Western Hockey League still plays three periods.

Wenatchee scored three goals in the first 41/2 minutes of the third period and the Wild came from behind to beat the Chiefs 4-3 at Spokane Arena.

Briley Wood's power play goal at 4:21 of third turned out to be the game-winner. Chase Bertholet assisted on the first two Spokane goals and Berkly Catton started the scoring with his 19th of the season.

Spokane has lost three in a row to Wenatchee, five straight overall and seven of its last nine games.

The Wild were without three of their top players — Conor Geekie, Matthew Savoie, and Rodzers Bukarts were away participating in their country's World Juniors selection camps.

"You have to play 60 minutes," Chiefs coach Ryan Smith said. "We did a lot of good things to set ourselves up for the third period and then we started thinking about trying to score more goals. We turned the puck over and didn't defend and at the end of the day, they took the game away from us and they deserved the win."

"I think we got away from from our game," Bertholet said. "We weren't playing the right way after after those 4 minutes. We came out hot, went in there and had constant pressure. I think we got too cute with ourselves thinking the game was over already and made some costly mistakes and (Wenatchee) capitalized."

The Chiefs play four of their next five at home before heading out on the longest road trip of the season — a seven-game stretch through Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Smith's message was clear on how to halt the losing streak: "Guys need to work. And play and dig in for team points instead of individual points."

"Our goal here this year is to make the playoffs," Bertholet said. "These next few games are huge for us in the standings and going into the Christmas break.

"We're on a five-game losing streak, which is unacceptable. We know we're better, we just need to play a full 60 the right way."

The Chiefs (10-15-2-0, sixth in U.S. Division) struck on their first shot on goal just 1:53 into the game. Catton corralled a rebound of a Conner Roulette shot from behind the cage and wrapped in around the post.

Wenatchee (20-9-3-0) appeared to even it up with 8:23 left in the period, but the goal was waived off due to goaltender interference.

The Chiefs were awarded a power play a few moments later and they took advantage. Bertholet centered from the wall to Chase Harrington in the slot, who banged it home for his second of the season to make it 2-0.

Wenatchee got on the board 8 minutes into the second period. Luka Shcherbyna had his initial shot stopped by Cooper Michaluk, but he gathered his own rebound, spun and shot again. The puck deflected off Michaluk's skate and behind him for Shcherbyna's fourth goal of the season.

But the Chiefs recaptured a two-goal lead as Ben Bonni's centering pass from the left wing at the end of a three-on-two deflected off a defender and past goalie Daniel Hauser for his fourth goal of the season with just under 4 minutes left in the period.

The third period could not have started worse for the home team.

Not quite 2 minutes into the frame, defenseman Layton Feist failed to clear along the boards and Hayden Moore picked his pocket, skated to the crease and beat Michaluk with a wrister.

Less than a minute later, Miles Cooper came down the slot unchecked, gathered a loose puck and flipped it past Michaluk to tie it 3-3.

"Those are individual mistakes," Smith said. "Just willing to fight and battle and you know, I don't know what else to say. We can put five guys below the top of the circles and just defend all night, but we don't want to play like that. If you want to play the right way, you're gonna win this game. There's no doubt in my mind, but Wenatchee played the right way, they stuck with it and won."

Chiefs rookie Coco Armstong was whistled for slashing moments later and the Wild made good as Wood poked one past Michaluk for his 11th goal of the season and Wenatchee's first lead of the game.

Wenatchee's Graham Sward was sent to the box with 4:46 left for checking from behind, but the power play lasted 48 seconds as Ty Cheveldayoff was called for tripping to put the teams at even strength again.

Smith pulled Michaluk with 1:13 to go for the extra skater, but the Chiefs couldn't find the equalizer.

The Chiefs host Seattle on Wednesday at 7:05 p.m.