Youngsters shine in Chiefs' scrimmage

SPOKANE - Sunday's Red-White scrimmage featured 15 veteran players, but it was the handful of newcomers that made their impression felt in their first chance to show off in front of Spokane Chief fans.

Three first-period goals led Team Red to a 4-3 win over Team White in front of 2,787 fans in the Spokane Arena in the annual intersquad scrimmage that signifies the end of training camp.

Three of the game's first four goals and four of the seven in total came off the sticks of first-year players including two from 17-year-old Cody Nelson.

"Everybody here has been absolutely amazing," Nelson said about the five-day-long training camp. "The facility is 100 percent one of the nicest rinks I've ever been in and I can say the same thing about the city. Spokane seems like a really nice place to play."

Of the 11 players selected by the Chiefs in May, six participated in the game, including Tanner MacMaster, their first-round selection. The Calgary product scored the Red's first goal from the right circle as he snapped home a pass from Tyson Predinchuk. The goal came at 6:13 of the first.

Jacob Cardiff, the first of two seventh-round picks in 2011, put the Red up at 10:47 on an assist from Dustin Gorgi. Then Darren Kramer, from Jarid Hauptman and Davis Vandane, scored on a Red power play at 12:00 for a 3-0 lead.

Nelson scored White's first goal with a snap shot from the right wing at 8:41 of the second.

The eventual game winner was scored by Brenden Kichton at 2:33 of the third as Hauptman earned his second assist.

White scored the game's final two goals with Blake Gal and Nelson getting on the board late in the third.

The Chiefs open the preseason this weekend at the Everett Silvertips tournament.