Chiefs complete sweep of Winterhawks, advance to WHL championship series

PORTLAND – Andrew Cristall had two goals and one assist in leading the Spokane Chiefs to a 6-4 win and 4-0 sweep of the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Hockey League Western Conference championship series on Thursday.

Coco Armstrong, Shea Van Olm, Owen Martin and Rasmus Ekstrom also scored for Spokane. Dawson Cowan made 39 saves.

The Chiefs will face the Medicine Hat Tigers in the WHL championship series next. Medicine Hat swept the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference championship series.

Alex Weiermair, with two goals, Josh Zakreski and Ryan Miller replied for Portland. Ondrej Stebetak kicked out 39-of-44 shots.

Zakreski’s power-play goal 24 seconds into the third period put the Winterhawks ahead 4-3. However, Ekstrom kick-started a run of three unanswered goals at 14:13 that was capped off by Van Olm’s empty-netter with 1:33 remaining.

This roundup was generated automatically with a CP-developed application.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 1, 2025.