Bertaggia's hat trick helps Chiefs to victory - NBC Right Now/KNDO/KNDU Tri-Cities, Yakima, WA |

Courtesy Spokane Chiefs

Spokane rallied from an early 2-0 deficit as they scored six of the game's last seven goals to defeat Everett 6-3 in front of 6,628 fans at the Spokane Arena Friday night. Alessio Bertaggia recorded a hat trick and chipped in an assist as the Chiefs improved to 22-10-1-0 at home and 40-25-2-0 overall. 

Everett raced out to a 2-0 lead in a physical first period with a power play goal from Joshua Winquist at 4:56 and a score from Brayden Low at the 12:49 mark. Spokane piled up the shots in the early going but couldn't break through until 17:54 as Connor Chartier knocked home a rebound with an assist from Dylan Walchuk. The Chiefs outshot the Silvertips 15-9 for the period.

Riley Whittingham tied the game up at the 3:08 mark of the second as he whipped a shot past Austin Lotz and into the back of the net unassisted. It took Everett just over two minutes to regain the lead with Winquist beating Garret Hughson for his second goal of the night at 5:38. 

Spokane stayed on the offensive throughout the second and it paid off at 17:51 as Bertaggia fired home a rebound for the equalizer on assists from Mitch Holmberg and Mike Aviani. The Chiefs outshot the Tips for the second straight period 15-9.

Bertaggia struck early in the third at 6:30 with another rebound score as the Chiefs turned a 5-on-3 advantage into their first lead of the night on assists from Aviani and Brenden Kichton. Blake Gal padded the Chiefs lead with a power play goal at 17:47 with assists from Walchuk and Bertaggia. 

Bertaggia completed the hat trick with an empty net goal at the 19:52 mark on assists from Chartier and Kichton.   

Hughson finished 22 of 25 on save opportunities while Lotz was 38 of 43 for Everett. Spokane went 2 for 6 on the power play and 3 of 4 on the penalty kill.

With the victory, Spokane has now recorded at least 40 wins in 5 of the last 6 seasons and 9 times overall in franchise history. Kichton's two assists tied him for second all-time (194) in team history with Pat Falloon. 

Tonight's three stars: Alessio Bertaggia (1st), Joshua Winquist (2nd), and Mike Aviani (3rd).

The Chiefs are home again tomorrow night against the Kootenay Ice at 7:05 PM for the Red Lion River Inn Buck Night & CheerStix Giveaway.