The Spokane Chiefs defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-4 in Western Hockey League play at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena on Friday night.
Seattle (26-18-3-0) took a 1-0 lead 4:03 into the first period on a great hustle play by Mathew Barzal. Spokane goalie Tyson Verhelst came out of his net to play the puck to the left of the net. Verhelst attempted a pass to the left wing along the boards but Barzal read the play and jumped in front of the winger to steal the pass. Barzal quickly snapped the puck at the empty net as Verhelst scrambled to get back.
The T-Birds outshot the Chiefs 11-8 in the first period.
Scott Eansor gave the T-Birds a 2-0 lead 33 seconds into the second period. Jared Hauf stole the puck in the neutral zone on the penalty kill and then passed the puck Eansor to spring the center on a breakaway. Eansor came down the left wing and cut through the slot. Eansor had the puck roll off his stick and slide along the goal line to the left of the net. Eansor got the puck, spun and whipped the puck through Verhelst’s legs for a shorthanded goal.
Spokane (23-19-3-2) got on the board at 17:02 of the second. Markson Bechtold beat Seattle goalie Landon Bow from the left circle. Keanu Yamamoto had the only assist on the goal.
Seattle led 18-12 in shots after two periods.
The Chiefs scored two goals in 46 seconds early in the third period to take a 3-2 lead. Evan Fiala scored at 1:41 and Nik Anderson scored at 2:27 of the period to get the Chiefs the lead.
The T-Birds came right back and tied the game 3-3 at 4:56 of the third. Keegan Kolesar picked up a loose puck off a faceoff in the left circle of the Chiefs zone. Kolesar skated into the slot and beat Verhelst with a wrist shot over the glove.
Spokane then scored twice in 54 seconds before the 10-minute mark of the third to take a 5-3 lead. Dominic Zwerger put back a rebound at 7:48 and Presten Kopeck scored a wraparound goal at 8:42.
Seattle battled back and cut the Chiefs lead to one goal with 1:24 left in the game. With Bow pulled for an extra attacker Ryan Gropp one-timed a pass in the right circle past Verhelst. Kolesar made a cross slot pass to set up Gropp. Eansor had the second assist on the goal.
The T-Birds kept the pressure on with Bow on the bench but were not able to score the tying goal.
Bow ended the night making 20 saves on 25 shots and his record is now 15-17-4-0.
Verhelst stopped 23 of 27 shots and improved his record to 20-14-0-2.
Showdown Saturday
The T-Birds face the Everett Silvertips on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. at Xfinity Arena in a matchup of the top teams in the U.S. Division. The Silvertips are in first place, five points ahead of the T-Birds.
After the game in Everett the T-Birds host the Kelowna Rockets Sunday at ShoWare Center at 5:05 p.m.
Single-game tickets are available online at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.
Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Barzal, 4:03. Penalties – Bechtold, Spo (tripping), 5:27. Fiala, Spo (major-fighting), 18:42. Kolesar, Sea (instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 18:42.
Second period – 2, Seattle, Eansor 6 (Hauf), :33 (sh). 3, Spokane, Bechtold 11 (Ke. Yamamoto) 17:02. Penalties – Hauf, Sea (high-sticking), 4:13.
Third period – 4, Spokane, Hamaliuk 2 (Ke. Yamamoto, Kopeck), 1:31. 5, Seattle, Anderson (Miske), 2:27. 6, Seattle, Kolesar 25 ( 4:56. 7, Spokane, Zwerger 16 (Ka. Yamamoto, Elynuik), 7:48. 8, Spokane, Kopeck 8 (Ke. Yamamoto, Helgesen), 8:42. 9, Seattle, Gropp 22 (Kolesar, Eansor), 18:36. Penalties – Leth, Sea (roughing), 3:58. Bechtold, Spo (roughing), 3:58.
Shots on goal – Seattle 11-7-9 27, Spokane 8-4-13 25. Goalies – Seattle, Bow 25 shots-20 saves (15-17-4-0); Spokane, Verhelst 27-23 (20-14-0-2). Power plays – Seattle 0-1; Spokane 0-2. A – 7,602. Referees – Tyler Adair, Jason Cramer. Linesmen – Jeremi Del Campo, Trevor Shively.
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