Chiefs finish first half of season with loss at home

| December 19, 2012 8:00 PM

SPOKANE — Adam De Champlain scored the game-winner midway through the third period as the Portland Winterhawks defeated the Spokane Chiefs 4-3 in Western Hockey League play Tuesday night in front of 4,619 at the Spokane Arena.

Portland took a 2-0 lead midway through the first period before Spokane’s Todd Fiddler scored his 24th goal of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1. Mitch Holmberg’s 23rd goal of the season tied it at 2-all after the first.

Nick Petan’s second goal of the game gave Portland a 3-2 lead early in the second and Blake Gal’s fourth goal of the season tied it at 3-3 heading into the final period.

Portland improves to 2-0 against Spokane this season, with both wins coming at Spokane Arena.

Spokane (23-10-1-0, 47 points) trails Portland (29-5-1-0, 59) for first place in the U.S. Division and is off until Dec. 28 when the Chiefs play the Kootenay Ice at Cranbrook, British Columbia.