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Post by David on Feb 25, 2021 14:10:38 GMT -8
This is the 2020-21 Regular Season schedule for the Spokane Chiefs.
The Chiefs are entering their 36th Season as members of the Western Hockey League. Spokane plays in the U.S. Division of the WHL's Western Conference. The U.S. Division features the 5 teams from the United States and, in addition to Spokane, consists of the Everett Silvertips, Portland Winterhawks, Seattle Thunderbirds, and Tri-City Americans.
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Western Hockey League will play an abbreviated 24-game schedule. Much like the National Hockey League, Western Hockey League clubs will play only U.S. Division opponents for the entirety of the regular season in their home arenas. Spokane will play a total of 12 home games and 12 away games with no fans in attendance.
As of February 25th, 2021, three of the four divisions in the WHL are set to play. The WHL's Central Division, consisting of the Alberta based teams, will play in the providence of Alberta will also play in their home arenas. The WHL's East Division, consisting of teams in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, will play their season in a Hub City, specifically at the Brandt Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan. The BC Division, which is reported to be discussing a Hub City approach to the Season, has not been approved to play yet.
Spokane is coming off a successful regular season which was cut due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At 41-18-4-1, the Chiefs were in the midst of a 10-game winning streak, and having won 16 of their last 17 games. The final four games of the regular season, and the entirety of the 2019-20 WHL Playoffs were cancelled, bringing an end to a promising season with the potential of a deep playoff run.
The Chiefs will have a yet another new head coach as Manny Viveros took a job offer with the American Hockey League's Henderson Silver Knights, the minor league affiliate of the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights. Associate Coach Adam Maglio will take the reigns as the new head coach for the Chiefs.
The Chiefs open their 2020-21 campaign with three road games beginning Friday, March 19 before their home opener on Friday, March 26th against Seattle. Spokane will begin the season playing four of their first five games on the road, followed by the one of the team's two longest homestands of the season at 4-games. Spokane’s will finish the home schedule on Tuesday, May 4 versus Tri-City before ending the season with three straight road games, ending on Mother’s Day at Seattle on Sunday, May 9.
Due to no fans being allowed in the Spokane Arena, all WHL games will be streamed on the new WHL Live on CHL TV streaming service. The team will air games on television, with that schedule released at a later date. All games, pending time conflicts, can be heard locally on 94.1 FM The Bear.
Home games are noted in bold red. All times are PST.
MARCH
Fri., March 19 - at Seattle (L 3-4) (SO)
Sat., March 20 - at Everett (L 0-2)
Sun., March 21 - at Portland (L 3-4)
Fri. March 26 - Seattle (L 0-5)
Sat. March 27 - at Tri-City, (L 0-3)
APRIL
Sat., April 3 - at Tri-City (L 2-3) (OT)
Sun., April 4 - Seattle (L 4-5) (OT)
Wed., April 7 - Tri-City (W 5-2)
Fri., April 9 - Portland (W 3-1)
Sat., April 10 - Portland (L 6-7)
Tue., April 13 - at Everett (W 4-3)
Wed., April 14 - at Portland (W 4-3) (OT)
Sat., April 17 - at Tri City, 6:05 p.m. - (Postponed)
Sun., April 18 - Tri-City, 5:10 p.m. - (Postponed)
Thu., April 22 - Everett (L 0-5)
Fri., April 23 - Everett (L 1-6)
Sun., April 25 - at Tri-City, 4:05 p.m. - (Postponed)
Wed., April 28 - Tri-City (W 5-3)
MAY
Sat., May 1 - Seattle (W 8-3)
Sun., May 2 - Everett (L 2-3) (OT)
Tue., May 4 - Tri-City (L 3-4) (OT)
Fri., May 7 - at Everett (L 1-5)
Sat., May 8 - at Portland (L 1-5)
Sun., May 9 - at Seattle (L 0-3)
2021 AWAY VENUES
Everett Silvertips - Angel of the Winds Arena; Everett, Washington
Portland Winterhawks - Moda Center or Veteran's Memorial Coliseum; Portland, Oregon
Seattle Thunderbirds - accesso ShoWare Center; Kent, Washington
Tri-City Americans - Toyota Center; Kennewick, Washington
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Post by David on Apr 1, 2021 11:06:50 GMT -8
Monthly Update: After a full year without playing hockey, the Spokane Chiefs took to the ice once again to play an abbreviated 24-game season against U.S. Division foes only.
Youth and inexperience showed itself for March, as Spokane's offense has sputtered in the early going. In the season opener against Seattle, the Chiefs shot out to a 2-0 lead before giving up 3 unanswered goals. Spokane scored late to tie the game at 3-3, but would fall in the shootout 4-3.
Scoring has been an issue in the early going, as the Chiefs would only score a total of 3 more goal in the next 4 games, all of which came against Portland. Spokane has been shut out three times this season, including back-to-back losses to Seattle and Tri-City to finish March with an 0-4-0-1 record (1 point).
The U.S. Division belongs to the Everett Silvertips early on, as the 'Tips sit atop with a commanding record of 5-1-0-0 (10 points). Seattle (4-2-0-0, 8 points) and Portland (3-1-2-0, 8 points) are tied for second, while the Tri-City Americans holds a 3-point cushion over the Chiefs with a 2-3-0-0 record (4 points).
Spokane will play begin April with a rematch against the Americans on Saturday, April 3, hoping to get the scoring back on track.
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Post by David on May 1, 2021 8:10:54 GMT -8
Monthly Update: The change of the calendar did good for the Spokane Chiefs, as the team discovered it had the ability to score. After two close overtime losses to begin the month of April, the Chiefs went on their best stretch of the season, winning 4 of their next 5 games, including dramatic 4-3 comeback wins over the Everett Silvertips and Portland Winterhawks from April 13-14.
The Chiefs seemed to lose some momentum after the Tri-City Americans shut down team activities due to positive COVID-19 tests. Spokane would return to the ice with back-to-back games a week later against Everett, finding themselves outmatched as they lost 0-5 and 1-6, respectively.
In total, three games against Tri-City were postponed, but the Americans were cleared to return to play for the April 28th game. Spokane would win 5-3.
With the WHL formally announcing in April that the 2021 WHL Playoffs would be cancelled, shortly after the news that the 2021 Memorial Cup and the 2020-21 Ontario Hockey League season were shelved. At this point in time, the 3 games against Tri-City have not been set up for rescheduling purposes.
With an improvement in scoring, Spokane managed to climb out of the basement of the U.S. Division, sitting in 4th place with a 5-7-2-1 (13 points) record, 3 points ahead of Tri-City (5-8-0-0, 10 points).
The U.S. Division remains in firm control of the Everett Silvertips, who sit with a commanding 15-4-0-0 (30 points) record. Portland (9-6-3-0, 21 points) pulled away from the Seattle Thunderbirds (7-10-0-0, 14 points), leapfrogging into second place.
Spokane will begin the (scheduled) final stretch of games, with Game 2 of a 4 game home stand against Seattle on May 1st.
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Post by David on May 12, 2021 0:30:30 GMT -8
Monthly Update: The final month of the 2020-21 condensed season started out good for the Spokane Chiefs, but two overtime losses to close out the home schedule all but extinguished the Chiefs offense. Their final three games on the road, Spokane mustered only two goals and allowed 12. The team's gas tank literally ran on fumes down the stretch.
Spokane ends the season with a 6-10-4-1 (17 points) record. Although the playoffs were cancelled for the second consecutive season, had there been playoffs Spokane would have snuck in as the #8 seed in the Western Conference.
For the 4th time in 5 seasons, the U.S. Division was won by the Everett Silvertips (19-4-0-0, 38 points) who basically ran away with the division early and never looked back. The Portland Winterhawks (13-8-3-0, 29 points) finish strong in second place, followed by the Seattle Thunderbirds (10-12-0-1, 21 points), Spokane, and the Tri-City Americans (7-12-0-0, 14 points), who finish in last place with the fewest amount of games played due to a COVID-19 outbreak that cancelled 5 games, three of which were scheduled against Spokane.
The Chiefs head into the off-season hoping for not only something of a normal schedule next season, but that their young talent can learn and grow both on offense and defense.
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