T-Birds topple Spokane Saturday

SPOKANE – Seattle Thunderbird goaltender Calvin Pickard stopped 35 of 36 shots Saturday night at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena to lead his team to a 3-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs.

This was the second game of a back-to-back series between the T-Birds and Chiefs. Spokane shut out the T-Birds 1-0 Friday night in the first game of the series.

This was the fourth game of the year between the two teams with the T-Birds having a 3-1-0-0 record in those games.

Seattle (14-17-1-2) took a 1-0 lead at 6:16 of the first period. Jim O’Brien carried the puck up the right boards and squeezed past a Spokane defender along the wall. Just inside the Chiefs blue line he crossed the puck to Jonathan Parker in the high slot. Parker quickly sent to the puck to Greg Scott coming down the left wing. Scott beat Spokane goalie James Reid with a backhand shot for his 10th goal of the year.

The T-Birds took a 2-0 lead with two minutes left in the first on a shorthanded goal by O’Brien. Brenden Dillon controlled the puck in the Seattle zone and then sent it up the left side to Scott. Scott carried the puck into the Spokane zone and then centered the puck to O’Brien trailing the play. O’Brien beat Reid low for his 11th goal of the year.

Spokane (20-10-0-3) outshot Seattle 14-6 in the first period.

Trevor Glass scored a power-play goal at 11:26 of the second period to get the Chiefs first goal. Mitch Wahl and Justin McCrae had assists on the goal.

The Chiefs outshot the T-Birds 9-5 in the second period and led 23-11 in total shots going into the second intermission.

Jeremy Schappert got the T-Birds back in front by two goals at 12:16 of the third period. Chance Lund cleared the puck down the left boards into the Chiefs zone. Luke Lockhart chased the puck down and sent it to the left point. Schappert took Lockhart’s pass, controlled the puck and then put a slap shot on goal with traffic in front of Reid. Schappert’s shot beat Reid low for his second goal of the year.

The Chiefs outshot the T-Birds 13-5 in the third period and 36-16 in the game.

Pickard improves his record to 10-9-1-2 with the win.

Reid made 13 saves on 16 shots and his record falls to 4-1-0-1.

The T-Birds now have a two-week holiday break. They are back in action on Saturday, December 27, when they face the Portland Winter Hawks at KeyArena at 7:05 p.m.

Single game tickets for the T-Birds first game at their new home, the ShoWare Center, on Saturday, January 3, against the Everett Silvertips are currently on sale. Single game tickets can only be purchased on the T- Birds website by clicking on the Single Game Tickets link in the Tickets menu.

T-Birds season tickets are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825. Purchasing a season ticket will ensure fans can attend the T-Birds first game in their new home, the ShoWare Center.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Scott 10 (Parker, O’Brien), 6:16. 2, Seattle, O’Brien 11 (Scott, Dillon), 18:00 (sh). Penalties – Cratsenberg, Spo (major-fighting), 7:46. Lund, Sea (major-fighting), 7:46. Gal, Spo (tripping), 11:24. Spo (tripping), 15:49. Warg, Sea (interference), 17:20.

Second period – 3, Spokane, Glass 3 (Wahl, McCrae), 11:26 (pp). Penalties – Cowen, Spo (tripping), 2:42. Scott, Sea (roughing), 10:31. Letts, Spo (checking from behind), 13:10.

Third period – 4, Seattle, Schappert 2 (Lockhart, Lund), 12:16. Penalties – No penalties.

Shots on goal – Seattle 8-5-5 18. Spokane 14- 10-12 36. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 36 shots- 35 saves (10-9-1-2); Spokane, Reid 18-15 (4-1-0-1). Power plays – Seattle 0-4; Spokane 1-2. A – 5,919. Referee – Pat Smith. Linesmen – Justin Hull, Tony Leonetti.