Late goal helps Tri-City leave Spokane with 'W'

SPOKANE - Mason Wilgosh scored with 37 seconds remaining and the Tri-City Americans defeated the Spokane Chiefs 5-4 in Western Hockey League action in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,474 at the Spokane Arena on Saturday night.

After a scoreless first period, Tri-City used a pair of quick goals to take a 2-0 lead early in the second.

Spokane tied the game on a pair of power-play goals by Steve Kuhn - the second coming with 40 seconds remaining in the period.

The Americans regained their two-goal lead with a pair of goals 22 seconds apart midway through the third.

Former Coeur d'Alene Laker Tyler Johnson cut Spokane's deficit with a goal at 16:05 and Kuhn completed his hat trick and tied the game at 4-all with a power-play goal with 1:09 remaining, before Wilgosh scored the game-winner.

Tri-City's Drew Owsley made 28 saves, Spokane's Mac Engel 26.

Spokane (31-13-4-2, 68 points) dropped three points back of Portland for first place in the U.S. Division and sits three-points ahead of third-place Tri-City.

The Chiefs play the Americans at Kennewick, Wash., on Friday.