It was a record night for Spokane defenceman Ty Smith in the Chiefs 9-2 triumph over the Prince George Cougars Friday, at Spokane Arena.
Smith’s seven-point performance is a Chiefs’ record for most points by a defenceman in a single game; he also tied the franchise record for assists by a defenceman. The projected first-round NHL draft picked finished with a pair of goals and five helpers and was named the game’s first star.
Kailer Yamamoto, Milos Fafrak, Luke Toporowski, Dalton Hamaliuk, Carter Chorney, Ethan McIndoe and Jeff Faith also scored for the Chiefs. Dawson Weatherill stopped 32 of 34 shots in the Chiefs’ crease.
Brogan O’Brien and Aaron Boyd scored third period goals for the Cougars, and Tavin Grant and Isaiah DiLaura split the goaltending duties. Granted surrendered six goals on 22 shots in 40-minutes of work, before DiLaura came in for the third period, stopping three of six shots.
Spokane got off to a quick start, scoring twice in less than a minute to take a 2-0 lead early in the first period. Yamamoto scored from the right face-off circle at 6:42, then it was Fafrak scoring from out front at 7:41.
The Cougars were down 2-0 after the opening 20-minutes and were outshot 13-6.
Ty Smith scored his first of two on the night just 12-seconds into the second period. The rear-guard fired a wrist-shot from just inside the blue-line that went over Grant’s glove to make it 3-0. He was at it again less than four-minutes later, this time doing it all by himself.
Smith wheeled around the top of the Cougars’ zone, moving right to left, before cutting down the left-wing, and cutting to the net and putting a backhand over the goalie’s glove at 4:02; Smith’s 12th making it 4-0. Smith then put on his played play-maker hat.
Luke Toporowski was hit with a stretch pass by Smith at the Cougars’ blue-line and he broke down the right side, before squeezing his shot through Grant’s arm on the far-side at 8:23. Then, it was another defenceman, not named Smith, leaving his mark.
Dalton Hamaliuk made It 6-0 inside the final minute of the second period, whacking at the puck at the side of the net, until it finally squirted between the goalie and the post with just 47-seconds left.
O’Brien got the Cougars on the scoresheet four and a half minutes into the third period. Jared Bethune fished the puck free behind the net, before centering to O’Brien, who went to his backhand, beating Weatherill upstairs at 4:25; Bethune picking up his 100th career assist on that goal.
Spokane came right back, making it 7-1 a minute and a half later. Carter Chorney came down the left-wing, before breaking to the net and beating DiLaura on the glove-side. 32-seconds later Ethan McIndoe made it 8-1, scoring his 19th at 6:30.
Five-minutes after that McIndoe goal, Jeff Faith put the finishing touches on to the Chiefs’ scoring, redirecting Smith’s point-shot at 13:04; the goal was originally credited to Smith but later changed.
Down 9-1 in the dying moments, Aaron Boyd hit the double-digit mark, scoring his 10th goal of the season with just two-seconds left. Boyd made it 9-2 after he cut to the middle and fired low on the blocker-side.
FINAL SCORE: 9-2 Chiefs
Shots: 34-34
Power-Plays: Cougars 0-2 Chiefs 0-1
Three Stars: 1) Ty Smith 2) Luke Toporowski 3) Dawson Weatherill
The Cougars (20-32-4-4) finish their four-game road trip in Kennewick against the Tri-City Americans; puck drop is slated for 7:05 pm PT. Fans can listen to the game on 94.3 The GOAT, or they can watch online, via WHL Live.
-Prince George Cougars
