Taking it back

Back with authority.

The Spokane Chiefs took a 3-1 command of the series with a 3-2 road victory over the Seattle Thunderbirds. Justin McCrae scored his first of the series and Tyler Johnson added his second of the series. Then, once again, with the score tied at 2 in the second period, the Chiefs being it up ice and HERE COMES ONDREJ ROMAN! He puts the game winning biscuit in their basket to finish off the scoring. Once again Tokarski became the golden goalie, stopping 11 shots in the third period alone in a performance that reminded me of the game against Kitchner in last season's Memorial Cup.

It was good to see the Chiefs bring some attitude back to the team. They did what they needed to do. They not only took back the series from Seattle, but they ripped it from their hands, pushed them down to the ground, laughed at them, and waited from them to get back up so they could push them back down again. Even though the Chiefs are the 4 seed in the western conference, they are the defending Memorial Cup champions, which means everyone else is gunning for them. To go far in the playoffs, the Chiefs need to show that they are dangerous, and I think they accomplished that by winning both games in Seattle.

With both Vancouver and Kelowna sweeping their opponents in the first round, the Chiefs now know they will start the second round of the playoffs on the road. They will get Vancouver unless Everett pulls off an almost miracle and knocks off Tri, in which case the Chiefs will face Kelowna. Either way, that's going to be a battle.

One quick OHL note: My adopted OHL team, the Saginaw Spirit, swept the Guelph Storm 4-0 to advance to the second round of the OHL playoffs. Way to go, Saginaw!

The Chiefs have a chance to close out the series in game 5 on S-A-TUR-DAY....NIGHT! Go Chiefs!