Music: {allcanada} WHL: VALCOURT HELPS CHIEFS DOUBLE UP ROYALS

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

{allcanada} WHL: VALCOURT HELPS CHIEFS DOUBLE UP ROYALS

Collin Valcourt had a goal and an assist as the Spokane Chiefs beat the Victoria Royals 4-2 in Western Hockey League action Tuesday night.

Mitch Holmberg, Blake Gal and Corbin Baldwin also tallied for the Chiefs (34-22-7).

Dakota Conroy and Jamie Crooks scored for the Royals (20-37-6).

Victoria opened the scoring in the first period when Conroy muscled one in on the doorstep past Spokane Chiefs' goalie Mac Engel.

Spokane tied the game on a low shot by Holmberg after three sparkling saves by Victoria keeper Jared Rathjen.

Rathjen bailed out the Royals with only 20 seconds left in the period, making a glove save off Spokane's Dylan Walchuk on the breakaway.

The physical first period featured a number of big hits by both teams.

The tough play continued in the scoreless second period. After taking two straight penalties, Chiefs defenceman Corbin Baldwin left halfway through the period with an apparent shoulder injury after a hard hit along the boards, but returned to the game in the third.

Spokane made the game 2-1 early in the third when Valcourt knocked in a goal-mouth rebound.

The Royals tied it up when Crooks took a shot from the face-off circle that went off a Spokane defender and into the top corner behind Engel. The Chiefs sealed the game late in the third when Gal tipped in a shot by Steven Kuhn on the doorstep. Baldwin added an empty netter for Spokane.

Chiefs forward and Ottawa Senators draft pick Darren Kramer had two fights in the game.

Elsewhere in the WHL it was: Moose Jaw 5 Red Deer 1, Portland 5 Kamloops 2, Medicine Hat 3 Prince George 2 and Tri-City 3 Seattle 1.

Warriors 5 Rebels 1@

At Moose Jaw, Sask., Sam Fioretti scored twice, including the game-winner as the Warriors beat Red Deer.

Quinton Howden had a goal and two assists and James Henry scored an empty-netter for the Warriors (39-17-7) who clinched a playoff berth with the victory.

Travis Brown also scored for the Warriors, while Dylan McIlrath chipped in with a pair of assists.

Tyson Ness replied late in the first period for the Rebels (28-28-6) to tie the game at 1-1.

Winterhawks 5 Blazers 2@

At Portland, Ore., the Winterhawks broke open a tight game with a four-goal third period and skated away with a victory over Kamloops.

Oliver Gabriel scored twice for Portland (44-15-2), while Sven Bartschi had a goal and two assists. Marcel Noebels and Joseph Morrow added singles.

Matt Needham and Tim Bozon replied for the Blazers (43-16-4).

Tigers 3 Cougars 2@

At Prince George, B.C., Hunter Shinkaruk scored twice, including the winner, as Medicine Hat edged the Cougars.

Shinkaruk scored his first goal for Medicine Hat (37-21-5) on the power play, then had the eventual winner 14:53 into the second period. Alex Theriau had the other Tigers goal.

Caleb Belter brought Prince George (19-40-2) to within one with just under six minutes left in the game. Troy Bourke also scored.

Americans 3 Thunderbirds 1@

At Kennewick, Wash., Patrick Holland had a goal and an assist as Tri-City continued to dominate Seattle at home.

Connor Rankin and Justin Feser both had a goal for the Americans (45-15-3).

Connor Sanvido was the lone scorer for the Thunderbirds (21-39-2).