Spokane Chiefs' Season Ends in Game 6 Playoff Loss

The Chiefs dropped the playoff series 4 games to 2 against the Prince George Cougars, ending their season.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 6:52pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the intensity and movement of a hockey game between two teams, with the players and action fragmented into overlapping planes of color and shape.The Spokane Chiefs' playoff run ends in a hard-fought series against the Prince George Cougars, with the team's roster facing significant changes in the offseason.Spokane Today

The Spokane Chiefs' 2025-26 season came to an end on Sunday with a 5-3 loss to the Prince George Cougars in Game 6 of their first-round playoff series. The Chiefs were without two of their top players - leading scorer Tyus Sparks and defenseman Rhett Sather - but fought hard before ultimately falling to the Cougars, who eliminated Spokane from the playoffs for the second time in three years.

Why it matters

The Chiefs' early playoff exit is a disappointment for the team and its fans, as the club had high expectations coming into the season after being ranked as the top WHL team in the CHL preseason poll. The roster will see significant turnover with the departure of several key 20-year-old players, setting up an offseason of transition for the organization.

The details

Spokane dropped the first two games of the series in Prince George before winning Games 4 and 5 to force a decisive Game 6 on the road. Without Sparks and Sather, the Chiefs fell behind 4-2 after two periods and couldn't mount a comeback, despite outshooting the Cougars 12-6 in the third. Prince George sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the final minute.

  • The Chiefs' season came to an end on Sunday, April 6, 2026.
  • Spokane won Games 4 and 5 to force a Game 6 in Prince George.

The players

Tyus Sparks

The Chiefs' leading scorer, who suffered a game-ending shoulder injury in Game 5.

Rhett Sather

Spokane defenseman who played through a broken finger in Games 4 and 5 but did not make the trip to Prince George for the deciding games.

Carter Esler

The Chiefs' goaltender, who started his fifth game in six contests of the series on Sunday.

Owen Martin

Spokane forward who scored two goals in Game 6, giving him a team-leading five playoff goals.

Kooper Gizowski

Former Spokane player who scored a power-play goal for Prince George in Game 6.

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What’s next

The Chiefs will face a significant roster turnover in the offseason, with the departures of several 20-year-old players including Sam Oremba, Logan Wormald, and Dominik Petr. The team will also have decisions to make on the futures of several 19-year-old players.

The takeaway

The Chiefs' early playoff exit is a disappointment, but the team's young core gained valuable experience this season and will look to build on that foundation as they aim to return to the playoffs and make a deeper run in 2026-27.