If they thought Wednesday night’s Game 3 was a tough home loss, the events of Game 4 had to be devastating for the Spokane Chiefs. They again played well for large stretches and had a 3-2 lead midway though the third period, but a couple breakdowns off of back-to-back face offs and some opportunistic goal-scoring by Portland’s Joachim Bliichfled helped Portland to a stunning 4-3 Game 4 win and a 3-1 series lead.
Blichfeld’s goals came just seven seconds apart in the third period, with the first being the game-tying goal and the second being the game-winner.
Joachim Blichfeld sets a @pdxwinterhawks playoff record with 2 goals 7 seconds apart. Hawks have scored 2 goals 7 seconds apart 4 other times, but never by the same player.
— Scott Sepich (@SSepich) March 30, 2018
Portland can now close out Spokane with a win in Game 5 on Saturday at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
After taking an awkward looking check earlier in the third, Blichfeld, who tied for the playoff scoring lead for Portland last year, proved further that he is at his best when the games matter the most. He added an assist and his line with Alex Overhardt and Ryan Hughes were in on three of Portland’s four goals.
Overhardt added two points and Keoni Texeira chipped in two assists, with the latter being a brilliant one that caught Spokane’s defense napping.
Portland goalie Cole Kehler made some big stops at the end and helped Portland to their third straight win in the series with Spokane, by stopping 25 of 28.
After Hughes checked Luke Toporowski from behind, the Chiefs opened the scoring in the first. A shot from Ty Smith went wide and the puck kicked out in front with Cole Kehler sprawled out. Elynuik kicked the puck in from outside the crease, netting his second of the playoffs.
Just 1:27 later in the first, a player who had yet to find the net despite having a strong series got on the board. Eli Zummack drove the net off a face off and got his stick on a shot from the point by Tyson Helgesen, redirecting the puck by Kehler. The assist gives Helgesen three points in the four playoff games, more than he had in any previous post-season.
With Spokane holding their biggest lead of the series and the first period growing old, the Winterhawks got a key goal off the stick of their overage center.
Blichfeld beat out an icing call and then won a puck battle with Dalton Hamaliuk and got the puck out to Alex Overhardt. The result was Overhardt’s second of the playoffs and the Chiefs lead was cut to one after 20 minutes. The play by Blichfeld was every bit as impressive as his two big goals.
After the two teams combined for 22 shots (Spokane with 12 and Portland with 10) in the first, they only had 12 combined in the second (Spokane with seven and Portland with five).
Despite only having five shots, one was a glorious chance for Portland’s leading playoff point producer. Kieffer Bellows went around the net and looked to have a wide open net to wrap the puck into. Instead Weatherill got his skate over and stoned Bellows. Weatherill also stopped Bellows later in the frame with a sprawling save.
The Chiefs had a lengthy 5-on-3 power play late in the middle frame, but could not add to their lead.
The stage was then set for a big third period as the Chiefs were clinging to a one-goal advantage.
Portland tied the game with the first goal of the post-season from their regular season leading goal scorer.
Skyler McKenzie found the net 47 times in the 2017-18 campaign, but had not yet done so over the first 11 periods of the post-season.
That ended 2:30 into the third as Henri Jokiharju faked a shot from the point, drove the right wing and found a wide open McKenzie below the left face off dot.
As good as that had to feel for McKenzie and the Winterhawks, the joy was short-lived.
They had a golden opportunity to go on top for the first time in Game 4 as they were handed a 5-on-3 power play for 1:04.
Weatherill and the Chiefs buckled down though and kept the score tied.
Instead of Portland going up 3-2, Anderson-Dolan then netted his second of the game on the power play with 10:10 left in regulation, putting the Chiefs back on top.
Keoni Texeira gave the Chiefs the man advantage themselves after getting called for high sticking. Anderson-Dolan followed up a play after Elynuik’s strength did not allow Portland to clear and the L.A. Kings prospect beat Kehler.
The home crowd was into this one and it had the appearance of a game that could get away from Portland as Spokane’s top players were buzzing.
Instead, Blichfeld put in a storied playoff performance and left the 3,450 faithful stunned.
Right after Bellows had a chance that struck iron and appeared to have possibly gotten behind Weatehrill (ultimately video was reviewed and the call of no-goal would stand), Blichfeld tied the game.
Overhardt won a face off over to Weatherill’s right and Blichfeld got to the puck in behind Overhardt. He fended off Spokane d-man Matt Leduc and his ensuing shot was stopped by Weatherill but the puck trickled past him.
Holy ?! Holy ?! Holy ?! @SanJoseSharks prospect @joachimblich strikes twice in SEVEN seconds! #PORvsSPO #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/SSXYeOjNd7
— The WHL (@TheWHL) March 30, 2018
Seven seconds later, Blichfeld was sprung on a breakaway and beat Weatherill for the 4-3 Portland lead.
In a span of seconds, Portland had turned a 3-2 deficit to a 4-3 advantage.
This goal again came on a play off the face off. This time Overhardt won the draw at center ice back to Texeira and the overage d-man spied Blichfeld splitting the defense. The San Jose Sharks prospect collected the pass at the Chiefs blue line, burned past the defense and beat Weatherill with a chip shot over the goalie’s left shoulder.
Spokane had some golden chances to tie late, but it seemed they struggled with recovering from the massive blow that was Blichfeld’s two quick goals.
Weatherill was solid for Spokane but took the loss in his first start in the series, stopping 20 of 24.
Notes:
-Jokiharju and Dennis Cholowski led the Winterhawks in shots with four apiece. Overhardt and Blichfled also each had three.
-Overhardt was 11-for-23 from the face off dot, but two of those 11 wins led to goals. Cody Glass was a woeful 3-for-12 and Jake Gricius was 4-for-8. McKenzie, who takes the draws in place of Glass on the left side of the ice, went 5-for-9.
-The lack of goal-scoring from Kailer Yamamoto continues to be a story for Spokane. He has two assists, but no goals and is a minus-five in the four games.
-Portland was 0-for-5 on the power play and is now 2-for-15 in the series. Spokane was 2-for-4 and is now 4-for-13.
