The Spokane Chiefs have advanced to the Western Hockey League championship series, after another three-goal flurry to beat the Portland Winterhawks.

Trailing by a goal in the third period, Spokane got scores from Rasmus Ekstrom, Owen Martin and Shea Van Olm (empty net) as the Chiefs beat the Hawks 6-4 Thursday at Memorial Coliseum. In winning Game 4, Spokane swept Portland 4-0 in the WHL Western Conference finals.

Spokane plays Medicine Hat in the WHL finals. The Tigers also swept Eastern Conference finals opponent, Lethbridge.

Alex Weiermair scored two goals and Ryan Miller and Josh Zakreski a goal each for Portland. Zakreski’s score gave Portland a 4-3 lead.

The Chiefs did the same thing in Game 3 — scoring three consecutive third-period goals to put the game away.

The Winterhawks, coached by Kyle Gustafson, a Portland native and Centennial High grad and longtime Portland assistant, won Game 7s on the road to win their first two WHL playoff series against Prince George and Everett.

Meanwhile, Spokane General Manager Matt Bardsley was named Western Hockey League executive of the year. He’s a Portland native, Wilson High grad and former Winterhawks scout and executive.

Here is the WHL’s story on Bardsley winning the award:

Calgary, Alta. – Spokane Chiefs General Manager Matt Bardsley is the winner of the Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy as the WHL Executive of the Year for 2024-25, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.
Bardsley’s efforts helped Spokane finish second in a highly competitive U.S. Division with a 45-20-1-2 record, marking the team’s winningest season in 14 years.

In his third season as Spokane’s General Manager, Bardsley helped build one of the dynamic lines in recent WHL history.

2024 WHL Trade Deadline acquisition Shea Van Olm started his first full season as a Chief with a bang and went on to lead all WHL skaters in regular season goals on a line with Spokane Captain and 2021 WHL Prospects Draft first-overall pick Berkly Catton.

Bardsley put his team over the top by adding prized Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall at the 2025 WHL Trade Deadline in one of the biggest moves of the season.

Cristall, Catton and Van Olm combined for 67 goals and 108 points in 29 games to close out the regular season.

Catton, a Seattle Kraken prospect, and Cristall were named to the 2024-25 WHL Western Conference First All-Star Team and garnered WHL Player of the Year nominations, while Van Olm was recognized as a member of the WHL Western Conference Second All-Star Team.

Bardsley also brought in 2024 CHL Import Draft first-round pick Assanali Sarkenov, a 2025 NHL Draft-eligible forward who added a commanding physical presence and 27 points (10G-17A) in his first season of hockey in North America.

Spokane finished second in goals for (292) and fifth in goals against (202) while dominating on special teams with the WHL’s top power play (28.9%) and third-best penalty kill (80.8%).

This marks the fourth time a Spokane Chiefs General Manager has won the Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy and the first time since 1999-2000, when Tim Speltz won his second WHL Executive of the Year award.

The Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy is named for Lloyd Saunders, a longtime supporter of junior hockey in Western Canada.

Dubbed the ‘Dean’ of sportscasters in Western Canada, Saunders covered major events such as the Olympics, the World Series, the Grey Cup, several Briers and six Memorial Cups.

Saunders was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame.

The 2025 WHL Awards are voted upon by WHL General Managers and members of the media.