2021-22 WHL Season, Game Recap, U.S. Division

Spokane Sunday: …and the Bears Flew

Written by Lizz Child on

If Teddy Bear Toss season is not your favorite time of year, that’s okay, but it should be.

Anybody missed out on Saturday night’s tilt between the Spokane Chiefs and Seattle Thunderbirds, missed one of the most exciting games of the season.

While the game started out slow, with neither team managed to find the back of the net until the final two minutes of the period. Yannick Proske solidified himself as the 2021 Teddy Bear Toss hero for the Spokane Chiefs, with 1:55 remaining in the first period. With the assists going to Bear Hughes and captain Jack Finley, Proske set off the waterfall of bears. Chiefs fans did not disappoint, flooding the ice with 5,175 stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes.

 

Less than six minutes into period two, Reid Schaefer scored his ninth of the season to tie things up for the Thunderbirds. Though Seattle tried their best to get another in the net behind Mason Beaupit, the Spokane netminder stood tall, and the middle frame ended with the teams still tied.

Early in the final frame, Cordel Larson tallied the second goal of the game for the Chiefs to put the home team up 2-1. Not to be outdone, Kevin Korchinski scored his first WHL goal for Seattle mid-third period and for the 873rd time this season (yes, that is an exaggeration); WHL fans were treated to some overtime hockey (WOAH-vertime? Do I want to join in on that?)

OT didn’t last long, however, as Chiefs defenseman Graham Sward finished things off just 32 seconds into the extra frame.

Proske and Hughes both found their name on the scoresheet twice en route to a 3-1 Teddy Bear Toss victory.

It was a fantastic outing for Beaupit as he finished the night, stopping 36 of the 38 Thunderbirds shots.

Hopefully, this defeat of the number two team in the division serves to be a confidence boost for the Chiefs as they look to climb their way up the standings.

Players to watch

Graham Sward – The defenseman has been making his presence known this season and has been getting better every time he takes to the ice. Look to him to continue impressing as the season rolls along.

Carter Streek – The rookie forward spent parts of the last two seasons with the Saskatoon Blades and has been showing everybody why the Chiefs acquired him.

Mason Beaupit – Racking up the second-highest save percentage in the US Division in the short 2020-21 season, Beaupit has been looking to step into the limelight this year. As the Chiefs continue to improve and pile on the wins, look for this netminder to be at the center of all the talk.