The Spokane Chiefs defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-0 Friday night, March 18, at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.
The T-Birds playoff hopes are still alive despite the loss to the Chiefs. The T-Birds are four points behind the eighth place Everett Silvertips in the Western Conference playoff standings. Both teams have two games left in the regular season.
The T-Birds face the Portland Winterhawks at 7:05 p.m. Saturday and the Tri-City Americans at 5:05 p.m. Sunday. Both games are at ShoWare Center. The Silvertips are on the road against the Chilliwack Bruins and Vancouver Giants to finish their season.
If Seattle (27-34-4-5) wins both their games this weekend and Everett (28-31-7-4) loses both their games this weekend the two teams will tie for eighth place in the conference. A tie for the eighth and final playoff spot is settled with a one-game playoff tie breaker. The one-game playoff tie breaker is played at the arena of the team with the most regular season wins, which would be the T-Birds if there is a tie for the last playoff spot.
The Prince George Cougars, with their 3-2 shootout victory over the Kamloops Blazers Friday night, was the seventh Western Conference team to make the playoffs.
Spokane (47-17-4-2) took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Collin Valcourt at 2:31 of the first period. Darren Kramer had the only assist on the goal.
Kramer scored at 11:14 of the first to extend the Chiefs lead to 2-0. Valcourt and Tanner Mort had the assists.
The Chiefs went in front 3-0 on a goal by Anthony Bardaro at 17:31 of the first. Brady Brassart had the only assist on the goal.
Spokane outshot Seattle 16-8 in the first period.
The Chiefs led 26-17 in total shots after two periods.
Matt Marantz scored 55 seconds into the third period to make it a 4-0 Chiefs lead. Blake Gal and Corbin Baldwin had the assists.
Gal added a empty-net goal at 18:36 of the third for the final Chiefs goal. Marantz had the only assist.
Spokane outshot Seattle 34-23 in the game.
Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard made 29 saves on 34 shots and his record is now 27-32-3-5.
Spokane goalie Mac Engel stopped all 23 shots he faced to get the shutout. His record is now 13-7-2-1.
T-Birds single game tickets for the 2010-11 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.
T-Birds group tickets are currently on sale. Group tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Spokane, Valcourt 8 (Kramer), 2:31. 2, Spokane, Kramer 7 (Valcourt, Mort), 11:14. 3, Spokane, Bardaro 21 (Brassart), 17:31. Penalties – Ballmer, Spo (hooking), 7:31. Bonsor, Sea (interference), 19:56.
Second period – No scoring. Penalties – Toomey, Sea (hooking), :32. Aviani, Spo (tripping), 4:26. Elliot, Sea (high sticking), 7:24. Button, Sea (delay of game), 10:00. Jacobs, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:47. Cowen, Spo (goaltender interference), 18:32.
Third period – 4, Spokane, Marantz 20 (Gal, Baldwin), :55. 5, Spokane, Gal 22 (Marantz), 18:36 (en). Penalties – Rouse, Sea (roughing), 5:04. Gow, Spo (high-sticking), 6:58. Toomey, Sea (interference), 11:44.
Shots on goal – Seattle 8-9-6 23. Spokane 16-10-8 34. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 34 shots-29 saves (27-32-3-5); Spokane, Engel 23-23 (13-7-2-1). Power plays – Seattle 0-4; Spokane 0-7. A – 9,734. Referee – Brett Iverson, Sean Raphael. Linesmen – Clayton Richardson, Jason Michelbook.
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