The Spokane Chiefs made it five in a row against Portland, winning 1:5 at the Winterhawks' home ice on Thursday evening. The result keeps the Chiefs in sixth place while the Winterhawks remain eighth in the Western Hockey League standings. Both sides have completed their 68-game schedule ahead of the playoffs.
Portland's recent form does not look encouraging. They have dropped their last five league matches, losing four of them by multiple goals. The 1:8 defeat to the Everett Silvertips on March 28 stands as their heaviest loss of the season. And here's the thing — this was not a one-off collapse.
Spokane have been more consistent on paper. Their 36 wins across 68 games put them two positions above the hosts. The Chiefs have won three of their last five against Prince George, though they also lost two. By then, the gap between these two teams was already visible in the table.
The final score told the story of a game where the hosts could not find their rhythm. Five goals away from home is a lot to take, especially when you are fighting for playoff positioning. The Winterhawks cannot afford another slip if they want to climb out of eighth.
With both teams having played 68 games, the regular season is complete. Portland sit eight points behind Spokane in the standings. The Chiefs will be hoping to hold that advantage when the playoffs begin.