WHL US Division: Spokane Chiefs Notebook: Chiefs get Ice'd, defeat Ams, and Tyler Johnson experiences fame

The Spokane Chiefs split a pair of road games over the weekend, losing 5-3 to the Kootenay Ice and going 0-5 on their power play opportunities.

The Chiefs rebounded with a 4-3 overtime victory on the Tri-City Americans thanks to a Dominic Zwerger goal seven seconds into the bonus period. But you already read about that.

The Chiefs continue on the road for two games against the Victoria Royals (Edit: They won the first one last night) and visits to Everett and Portland.

It's difficult to gauge the team this early in the year, but Kailer Yamamoto being the team's leading scorer with seven points in three games means something. I guess it means he's picking up right where he left off. We'll see if he takes another step in his game in what is still not his draft year.

Also, Adam Helewka remains MIA (actually, he's in San Jose with the Sharks' AHL team) and who knows if or when he'll return.

This was thought to be somewhat of a down year for the Chiefs, and losing Helewka definitely doesn't help the team's prospects, but head coach Don Nachbaur has a knack for getting his teams to overachieve a little.

This Tyler Johnson news is so stupid

Former Spokane Chief and current Tampa Bay Lightning Tyler Johnson was on Jimmy Kimmel last night.

Here's the story:

Kimmel sent one of his staff to do one of those "man on the street" bits where they ask random people (or are they random? Hmmm.) a question, they go back and forth, and hijinks ensue.

The show asked a female to share the most impressive thing she's ever done. Her answer?

Cheating on her boyfriend.

Congrats. Want a trophy?

Anyway, after some back and forth, she reveals that the guy she cheated with is a famous hockey player who plays for Tampa Bay and has the initials T and J. After the Kimmel staff asks if it is Tyler Johnson, the video's subject suddenly realizes she needs to leave.

This all seems staged to me, but who knows.

Here's the video:

(content removed)

Johnson was asked about it today and said this:

Johnson: 'No idea' who woman is claiming affair on Kimmel show #tblightning https://t.co/0r95By4f5o via @tbocom

— Erik Erlendsson (@erlendssonTBO) October 6, 2015

This is all so stupid. I can't believe I just wrote about it.

Video Vault: When Zdeno Chara came to town

The great thing about the Western Hockey League celebrating its 50th anniversary this year is seeing the names of all the great players that came through the league.

Like former Chiefs enforcer Kris Graf.

Hahaha just kidding. I'm talking about Zdeno Chara, the guy Graf drops in this fight clip:

Chara had just leveled Curtis Suter and Graf, who is about six or seven inches shorter, seeks revenge. I don't know if Chara is surprised by Graf's willingness to suddenly drop the mitts or if he isn't yet a seasoned fighter, but Graf gets the decisive win here, I say.

Graf was one of my favorites as a kid. I ran into him a few years ago at Hockey Armor here in Spokane. Don't know what he is up to these days or where he lives.

Someday I'll write a post on former Chiefs players who live in Spokane. That day is not today.

Chiefs prospects selected for U16 Challenge Cup

Prognosticators say the Chiefs should have a strong team in the coming years, so I guess having five prospects selected for the U16 Challenge Cup is an indication that those predictions might come true. Here are the baby Chiefs selected:

• Donovan Buskey, G, Team British Columbia
• Matt Leduc, D, Team British Columbia
• Ty Smith, D, Team Alberta
• Koby Morisseau, F, Team Manitoba
• Cedric Chenier, F, Team Manitoba

Let's see which future Chief takes out the other future Chief.