SPOKANE - Former Coeur d'Alene Laker Tyler Johnson had two goals and an assist as the Spokane Chiefs defeated the Tri-City Americans 7-2 in front of a sellout crowd of 10,475 in Western Hockey League action at the Spokane Arena on Saturday night.

Spokane took a 3-1 lead after the first period and extended the advantage to 4-2 after the second as Mitch Holmberg scored his fifth goal in four games midway through the period.

Johnson scored twice in the third and leads the WHL with 43 on the season. Brenden Kitchton capped the scoring in the final minute for Spokane.

Levko Koper matched a career high with four assists and Kitchton finished with a goal and two assists for Spokane (34-15, 4-2, 74 points), which begins a five-game road trip tonight in Seattle at 5.