WHL playoffs: T-Birds lose to Spokane in game 3

The Spokane Chiefs defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-1 Tuesday night at ShoWare Center in Game 3 of the teams first round playoff series.

The Chiefs lead the best-of-seven series 2-1. Game 4 of the series is Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. at ShoWare Center.

Game 5 is Saturday, March 28, at 7 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane.

The T-Birds took a 1-0 lead at 7:13 of the first period. Prab Rai skated up the right side on a two-on-one with Greg Scott. At the top of the right circle Rai crossed the puck to Scott. Scott put a shot on goal that Spokane goalie Dustin Tokarski stopped but the puck fell to the ice and laid in the crease. Colin Jacobs crashed the net and poked the rebound past Tokarski for his first career WHL goal.

Spokane tied the game 1-1 at 14:10 of the first on a goal by Tyler Johnson. Mitch Wahl and Levko Koper had the assists.

The Chiefs went in front 2-1 at 16:28 of the first on a power-play goal by Stefan Ullmer. Trevor Glass and Justin McCrae assisted on the goal.

Koper scored an unassisted shorthanded goal at 16:28 of the first to put the Chiefs in front 3-1.

Seattle outshot Spokane 14-9 in the first period.

Koper scored a power-play goal at 5:53 of the second to make it a 4-1 Spokane lead. Glass and McCrae had assists on the goal.

Johnson added shorthanded goal at 16:51 of the second to put the Chiefs in front 5-1. Jared Spurgeon and Koper had assists on the goal.

Spokane outshot Seattle 17-8 in the second period and led 26-22 in total shots after two periods.

Seattle outshot Spokane 11-8 in the third period but the Chiefs finished the game with a 34-33 advantage in shots.

Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard made 29 saves on 34 shots and his playoff record is now 1-2.

Tokarski stopped 32 of 33 shots and his playoff record is now 2-1.

Single game playoff tickets are available for purchase online at www.seattl ethunderbirds.com or at the ShoWare Center box office. Playoff ticket prices for the first round are $24 and $18

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Jacobs 1 (Scott, Rai), 7:13. 2, Spokane, Johnson 1 (Wahl, Koper), 14:10. 2, Spokane, Ullmer 1 (Glass, McCrae), 16:28 (pp). 4, Spokane, Koper 1, 18:22 (sh). Penalties – Bowman, Spo (tripping), 3:14. Glass, Spo (slashing), 9:56. Schappert, Sea (hooking), 16:20. Letts, Spo (roughing), 17:26.

Second period – 5, Spokane, Koper 2 (Glass, McCrae) 5:53 (pp). 6, Spokane, Johnson 2 (Spurgeon, Koper), 16:51 (sh). Penalties – O’Brien, Sea (cross checking), 4:10. Bartman, Spo (roughing), 15:37. Bench, Spo (too many men-served by Letts), 19:35.

Third period – No scoring. Penalties – Ullmer, Spo (high sticking), 11:38.

Shots on goal – Seattle 14-8-11 33. Spokane 9-17-8 34. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 34 shots-29 saves (1-2); Spokane, Tokarski 33-32 (2-1). Power plays – Seattle 0-6; Spokane 2-2. A – 3,050. Referee – Matt Kirk, Andy Thiessen. Linesmen – Kevin Boris, Chris Sweeting.