Mathew Barzal and Ryan Gropp each had hat tricks to power the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 7-2 rout of the Tri-City Americans on Tuesday night at the ShoWare Center.
The T-Birds, winners of five straight games and nine of their last 10, improved to 37-23-3-0, one point behind the Everett Silvertips (36-21-4-2) for first place in the Western Hockey League’s U.S. Division. The T-Birds and Silvertips meet at 7:35 p.m. Friday at Xfinity Arena in Everett.
Barzal had two assists to go along with the three goals he scored. Barzal has an 11-game point streak. He has 11 goals and 14 assists in the last 11 games.
Gropp had a single assist to go along with his three goals. Gropp has eight goals and 11 assists in the last 11 games.
Seattle goalie Landon Bow had a solid game making 25 saves on 27 shots and his record is now 19-20-4-0.
Seattle took a 1-0 lead at 6:09 of the first period. On a delayed penalty call to Tri-City Garan Magnes took a shot from the right circle that rebounded into the slot. Josh Uhrich poked the puck to Barzal in the left circle, and he snapped the puck past Tri-City goalie Evan Sarthou.
Tri-City (30-30-2-1) tied the game 39 seconds into the second period on an unassisted goal from Parker Wotherspoon.
The T-Birds took the lead back at 2:09 of the second on a power-play goal from Barzal. Bryan Allbee crossed the puck from the left point to Jerret Smith at the right point. Smith sent the puck to Barzal on the right wall. Barzal skated into the right circle and took a wrist shot. The puck deflected off a Tri-City stick and over Sarthou.
The Americans tied the game 2-2 at 4:38 of the second. Michael Rasmussen scored on quick passes from Morgan Geekie and Vladislav Lukin.
Gropp got the T-Birds in front 3-2 with a power-play goal at 15:03 of the second. Smith passed the puck to Barzal who was set up on the left wall. Barzal moved back and forth along the wall with the puck. Barzal centered the puck to Gropp and he one-timed it over Sarthou’s glove.
Both teams had nine shots on goal in the second period. Seattle led 22-18 in total shots after two periods.
The T-Birds erupted for four goals in 3:48 to take a commanding 7-2 lead midway through the third period.
Scott Eansor made a good play to hold the puck in at the right wall on the blue line. Eansor then made a slick pass to Gropp to send him in alone against Sarthou. Gropp stickhandled and beat Sarthou over the blocker at 6:06 for the T-Birds fourth goal.
Barzal netted the hat trick 22 seconds after Gropp’s goal. Gropp came down the left wing and backhanded the puck to Barzal in the slot. Barzal took a shot that Sarthou pushed towards the goal line. Barzal got the loose puck by putting his stick through his legs and snapping the puck over the goalie.
The T-Birds went on the power play 35 seconds after Barzal’s hat trick goal. Nolan Volcan slid the puck under Sarthou as he was being pushed to the ground for his 14th goal of the season. Andreas Schumacher and Eansor had the assists on the goal which came at 8:25 of the third.
Tri-City city replaced Sarthou with Nicholas Sanders after the T-Birds sixth goal. Sarthou made 22 saves on 28 shots and his record is now 24-27-2-0.
Gropp netted his hat trick at 9:54 of the third. Nick Holowko passed the puck to Gropp in the slot. Gropp took a shot that deflected off a Tri-City defenseman and past Sanders. Barzal had the second assist on the goal.
The T-Birds outshot the Americans 31-27 in the game.
Sanders stopped two of three shots he faced in 11:35 of action.
The T-Birds will play three games this coming weekend. After taking on the Silvertips in Everett on Friday, they host the Portland Winterhawks at 7:05 p.m. Saturday. They travel to Kennewick to play the Americans on Sunday at 5:05 p.m.
Tckets available 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.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Barzal 23 (Uhrich, Magnes), 6:09. Penalties – Schumacher, Sea (tripping), 16:50. Ottenbreit, Sea (tripping), 19:48.
Second period – 2, Tri-City, Wotherspoon 11, :39 (pp). 3, Seattle, Barzal 24 (Smith, Allbee), 2:03 (pp). 4, Tri-City, Rasmussen 14 (Lukin, Geekie), 4:38. 5, Seattle, Gropp 30 (Barzal, Smith), 15:03 (pp). Penalties – Rutledge, Tri (checking from behind), 1:09. O’Reilly, Tri (roughing), 13:47. Bowles, Tri (slashing), 16:17.
Third period – 6, Seattle, Gropp 31 (Eansor, Smith), 6:06. 7, Seattle, Barzal 25 (Gropp), 6:28. 8, Seattle, Volcan 14 (Schumacher, Eansor), 8:25 (pp). 9, Seattle, Gropp 32 (Holowko, Barzal), 9:54. Penalties – O’Reilly, Tri (tripping), 7:03. Carlo, Tri (roughing), 7:03. Leth, Sea (roughing), 7:03. James, Tri (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 14:44.
Shots on goal – Seattle 13-9-9 31, Tri-City 9-9-9 27. Goalies – Seattle, Bow 27 shots-25 saves (19-20-4-0); Tri-City, Sarthou 28-22 (24-27-2-0), Sanders 3-2. Power plays – Seattle 2-3; Tri-City 1-2. A – 4,076. Referees – Sean Raphael, Nick Swaine. Linesmen – Zach Brooks, Devon Sephton.
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