Spokane Chiefs cruise to 7-2 win over second-place Penticton

Sam Oremba scores twice as Chiefs take down Western Conference rival

Feb. 5, 2026 at 1:55am

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The Spokane Chiefs dominated long stretches of the game against the second-place Penticton Vees, cruising to a 7-2 victory in a Western Hockey League matchup. Sam Oremba scored two goals, Tyus Sparks had a goal and an assist, and Owen Martin recorded three helpers to lead the Chiefs' offensive onslaught. Goaltender Linus Vieillard made 21 saves for his 12th win of the season.

Why it matters

The win over the Vees, who are solidly in second place in the Western Conference, boosts the Chiefs' playoff hopes as they remain in ninth place, just one point behind Victoria for the final postseason spot. The Chiefs have 20 games left to make a push for the playoffs.

The details

The Chiefs took an early lead with a power play goal in the first period, and then extended their advantage with two goals in the second. The Vees got on the board late in the second, but the Chiefs responded with two more goals before the end of the period to regain their comfortable lead. Penticton scored early in the third, but the Chiefs added another two goals to seal the 7-2 victory.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 5, 2026.

The players

Sam Oremba

A forward for the Spokane Chiefs who scored two goals in the game.

Tyus Sparks

A forward for the Spokane Chiefs who scored a goal and had an assist.

Owen Martin

A forward for the Spokane Chiefs who recorded three assists.

Linus Vieillard

The goaltender for the Spokane Chiefs who made 21 saves for his 12th win of the season.

Nolan Stevenson

A defenseman for the Penticton Vees who scored a goal in the game.

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What they’re saying

“We had our breakdowns, don't get me wrong, but we played a team game, more of a game that we're capable of playing. When we do the right things, do it the right way and play as a team, like I've been saying all year, we can beat anybody in this league. It's just being consistent. We've got to understand what our identity is, you know, night in and night out.”

— Brad Lauer, Spokane Chiefs coach

“I thought we weren't bad against Everett - obviously on the wrong side of it. And then last game against Brandon was a big step. And then today, obviously was another big step. So, we're turning in the right direction.”

— Sam Oremba, Spokane Chiefs forward

“That's what good teams do. We've worked on keeping the puck of our net, and you got to give credit to Vieillard - he was outstanding, and he has been outstanding for us this year. And as our team grows older and gets more mature, you can see it in the way we play. After a goal, it's keeping it simple and getting back to, you know, what we did before, rather than staying in our own zone.”

— Sam Oremba, Spokane Chiefs forward

What’s next

The Chiefs play Friday at last-place Vancouver (18-29-1-2) and at 11th-place Wenatchee (18-26-3-2) on Saturday.

The takeaway

The Spokane Chiefs' dominant performance against the second-place Penticton Vees demonstrates their potential to make a playoff push, as they continue to find consistency and maturity in their game. The team's ability to respond after allowing a goal and maintain their lead shows the growth they have undergone this season.