For the Reporter
The Spokane Chiefs defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-1 Wednesday night at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.
This was the second game of a home-and-home series between the team. Spokane won 3-2 in a shootout Tuesday night at the ShoWare Center.
The T-Birds have back-to-back home games coming up this weekend. On Friday they face the Prince George Cougars at 7:35 p.m. on ShoWare Center ice. On Saturday they play the Kamloops Blazers at 7:05 p.m.
Spokane took a 1-0 lead at 11:29 of the first period. Liam Stewart forced a turnover in the right circle of the Seattle zone. The puck came to Keanu Yamamoto and he beat Seattle goalie Taran Kozun with a quick shot.
Spokane (3-1-2-0) outshot Seattle 10-4 in the first period.
The Chiefs and T-Birds scored back-to-back four-on-four goals early in the second period to make it a 2-1 Chiefs lead. Adam Helewka scored off an assist from Calder Brooks to put the Chiefs in front 2-0 at 3:10.
Ryan Gropp cut the Chiefs lead to one at 3:52 of the second. Scott Eansor got a loose puck in the Seattle slot and moved it up ice to Gropp. Gropp came down the right wing, cut to the net and put the puck over Spokane goalie Garret Hughson. It was Gropp’s sixth goal of the season and gave him six-game point streak.
Liam Stewart got the Chiefs the two-goal lead back with 57 seconds left in the second period. Stewart scored off assists from Brooks and Helewka.
The Chiefs outshot the T-Birds 19-6 in the second period and led 29-10 in total shots after two periods.
Stewart scored a second goal, at 13:38 of the third period, to give the Chiefs a 4-1 lead. Yamamoto and Jeff Rayman had the assists.
Spokane outshot Seattle 14-9 in the third period and 43-19 in the game.
Seattle goalie Taran Kozun stopped 39 of 43 shots and his record is now 4-3-0-1.
Hughson made 18 saves on 19 shots and his record is now 4-1-2-0.
Tickets
Order at www.seattlethunderbirds.com.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Spokane, Ke. Yamamoto 3 (Stewart), 11:29. Penalties – Baltram, Sea (hooking), 7:00.
Second period – 2, Spokane, Helewka (Brooks), 3:10. 3, Seattle, Gropp 6 (Eansor), 3:52. 4, Spokane, Stewart 4 (Brooks, Helewka), 19:03. Penalties – Whittingham, Spo (kneeing), :31. Allan, Sea (slashing), 2:39. Whittingham, Spo (boarding), 2:46.
Third period – 5, Spokane, Stewart 5 (Ke. Yamamoto, Rayman), 13:38. Penalties – No penalties.
Shots on goal – Seattle 4-6-9 19, Spokane 10-19-14 43. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 43 shots-39 saves (4-3-0-1); Spokane, Hughson 19-18 (3-1-2-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-2; Spokane 0-2. Referees – Curtis Marouelli, Nathan Wieler. Linesmen -Jeremi Del Campo, Jason Michelbook.
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