Chiefs win playoff opener

SPOKANE - Alessio Bertaggia tipped in a Reid Gow shot midway through the first period for what proved to be the game winner as the Spokane Chiefs beat the Tri-City Americans 4-1 in a first round Western Hockey League playoff game before 5,007 at the Spokane Arena.

Blake Gal fired the game's first shot, a backhander that found the net just a minute into the first period, and Mitch Holmberg scored twice for the Chiefs.

Gal and Brenden Kitchton each had two assists and Eric Williams stopped 26 shots for Spokane, which hosts Tri-City in Game 2 tonight at the Arena at 7:05.