Thunderbirds take flight, beat Chiefs for first home win of the season | WHL

For the Reporter

The Seattle Thunderbirds beat the Spokane Chiefs on Friday night, 5-3, for their first home win of the Western Hockey League season at the ShoWare Center.

Seattle improves to 5-5-1-1 on the season, while Spokane drops to 5-3-3-0. Seattle is in fourth place in the U.S. Division, one point behind Spokane.

Taran Kozun made his 10th start of the season for Seattle. Kozun stopped 29 of 32 shots, getting his fifth win of the season to improve to 5-3-1-1. Garret Hughson started for Spokane and stopped 27 of 32. Hughson’s loss makes his record 5-2-3-0.

Seattle’s Mathew Barzal tied the game 1-1 at 8:23 of the second period. The initial shot from Scott Allan hit a defenseman and bounced directly to Barzal in the slot. Barzal let loose quickly and beat Hughson low to make it 1-1. Allan and Justin Hickman had the assists.

Jerret Smith beat Hughson with a point shot on Seattle’s fifth power play to give the T-Birds their first lead of the night at 9:55. Barzal calmed down a bouncing puck that came to him off a deflected Hickman pass. The 17-year-old passed to Smith, whose shot made its way through plenty of traffic to make it 2-1. Barzal and Hickman had assists.

Seattle’s third goal came at 13:09 on the power play. Smith took a shot from the point that bounced to the side of the net. Hickman was there and was able to backhand the puck off Hughson’s pad into the net. Smith and Ethan Bear had the assists on the goal. It was Hickman’s first goal of the season and gave him three points in the period. The goal made Seattle two for six on the night with the man advantage.

Kailer Yamamoto cut Spokane’s deficit to one goal at 18:00.

The T-Birds struck quickly, scoring their fourth goal just 30 seconds into the third period. Barzal was able to keep the puck in the zone and skated below the crease. Once there, Barzal hit Hickman with the pass. The captain went top shelf and beat Hughson over the goalie’s head for his second goal and fourth point of the game. Barzal had the only assist on the goal, his second of the game to go along with a goal.

Penalties put Seattle in a precarious position, with a slew of them resulting in 30 seconds of four-on-three time. The Chiefs capitalized, scoring at 9:35 to make it 4-3.

Scott Eansor made it 5-3 with 4:28 left in the game for Seattle. Nolan Volcan managed to get the puck to the end boards and gain control. His pass out front went directly to Eansor’s stick in the slot, where the center buried it. Nolan Volcan and Jared Hauf had the assists on the goal.

Seattle is at Everett to take on the Silvertips at 7:05 p.m. today. The T-Birds host the Edmonton Oil Kings at 7:05 p.m. Thursday.

Tickets for the 2014-15 season 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 10 a.m. to 2 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, Spokane, Fram 1 (Miske), 10:19. Penalties – Zwerger, Spokane (holding), 4:07. Spencer, Seattle (tripping), 6:57. Bobyk, Spokane (roughing), 10:37. Pederson, Seattle (high-sticking), 12:14. Fiala, Spokane (cross-checking), 15:40. Elynuik, Spokane (hooking), 20:00.

Second period – 2, Seattle, Barzal 6 (Allan, Hickman), 8:23. 3, Seattle, Smith 1 (Barzal, Hickman), 9:55 (pp). 4, Seattle, Hickman 1 (Smith, Bear), 13:09 (pp). 4, Spokane, Ka. Yamamoto 2 (Helewka, Brooks), 18:00. Penalties – Kolesar, Seattle (interference), 3:05. Elynuik, Spokane (charging), 8:43. Spencer, Seattle (major-fighting), 10:06. Bechtold, Spokane (major-fighting), 10:06. Volcan, Seattle (unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:37. Ke. Yamamoto, Spokane (unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:37. Helgesen, Spokane (cross-checking), 12:19. Baltram, Seattle (roughing), 17:10. Hauf, Seattle (unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:10. Oneschuk, Spokane (roughing), 17:10. Cardiff, Spokane (unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:10.

Third period – 6, Seattle, Hickman 2 (Barzal), :29. 7, Spokane, Fram 2 (Ka. Yamamoto, Stewart), 9:35 (pp). 8, Seattle, Eansor 2 (Volcan, Hauf), 15:02. Penalties – Helewka, Spokane (roughing), 7:34. Hickman, Seattle (double minor-roughing), 7:47. Bobyk, Spokane (roughing), 7:47. Eansor, Seattle (interference), 9:14. Hauf, Seattle (roughing), 16:48.

Shots on goal – Seattle 14-7-11 32, Spokane 8-10-14 32. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 32 shots-29 saves (5-3-1-1); Spokane, Hughson 32-27 (5-2-3-0). Power plays – Seattle 2-7; Spokane 1-6. A – 3,454. Referees – Jason Nissen, Sean Raphael. Linesmen – Ryan Gibbons, Justin Nicol.