T-Birds down Chiefs for third straight win

Connor Sanvido, Alexander Delnov and Luke Lockhart each had two goals Tuesday night to lead their team to a 6-4 win over the Spokane Chiefs at ShoWare Center.

Seattle, with a 5-3-0-0 record, has now won three games in a row and four of their last five.

This was the first game of a home-and-home series with the Chiefs. They meet in the second game on Friday in Spokane at 7:05 p.m. The T-Birds then travel to Portland to take on the Winterhawks on Saturday night at 7.

The T-Birds opened the scoring 1:01 into the game on a Luke Lockhart goal, the captain’s fourth this season. The goal came off a two-on-four rush by the T-Birds. Left Wing Alexander Delnov was pressured behind the Spokane net and move the puck to Connor Honey. Honey picked up the puck and skated out from behind the net to the top of the circles and threw a shot on net. The shot produced a low rebound, which Lockhart was able to grab alone in front of the net with the puck. Lockhart sidestepped a sprawled Eric Williams and slid the puck past the goalie.

Seattle outshot Spokane 7-6 in the first period.

The Chiefs scored twice within the first minute and a half of the second period. Chiefs points leader Mitch Holmberg scored just 24 seconds in followed by a Mikulas Rimmel goal to take the lead 2-1. Holmberg’s goal was unassisted, while Rimmel got help from Tyler King and Todd Fiddler.

Delnov tied the game 2-2 at 3:48 of the second with an unassisted goal. Delnov picked off a pass just inside the Spokane blue line. He skated toward the Spokane net with a defender in front of him and fired a snap shot on goal. Delnov’s shot beat Spokane goalie Eric Williams over the glove.

With 13:47 left in the period Seattle’s Connor Sanvido netted his first goal of the season. Sanvido’s goal came with assists from Brendan Rouse and Jesse Forsberg, putting the T-Birds up 3-2.

Spokane responded just over a minute later, netting a loose rebound after a desperation save by Glover. Adam Helewka’s goal at 12:06 erased the T-Birds’ lead, tying it up at 3-3.

With 22 seconds left in the second period, Sanvido and Branden Troock skated and passed their way around two Chiefs defensemen to find the back of Spokane’s net. Troock was credited with the assist on Sanvido’s goal, his second of the night.

The T-Birds ended the second ahead in shots, 18-15.

Seattle took a 5-3 lead on a five-on-three power-play goal at 2:32 of the third period. Sanvido worked the puck out of the left corner to Honey at the left point. Honey skated in, faked a slap shot and then found Delnov at the bottom of the right circle. Delnov one-timed Honey’s pas and beat Williams high for his second goal of the night.

Spokane came on strong in the final five minutes, surpassing Seattle in total shots for the first time all game.

The Chief’s pulled their goalie to get the man advantage and were able to score with 2:34 left in the game. Spokane’s goal, scored by Reid Gow and assisted by Kichton and Holmberg, cut Seattle’s lead to 5-4.

Looking to repeat, Spokane pulled the goalie again with 1:32 remaining, this time to no avail. Lockhart scored an empty-net goal with 1:20 left to seal the win. Lockhart’s goal was assisted by Delnov and Hauf.

Spokane finished with a 32-23 advantage in shots.

Seattle goalie Brandon Glover stopped 28 of 32 shots and his record is now 5-2-0-0.

Williams made 17 saves on 22 shots and his record is now 5-2-0-0.

T-Birds single game tickets 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 season tickets are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Lockhart 4 (Delnov, Honey), 1:01. Penalties – Fram, Spo (hooking), 9:56.

Second period – 2, Spokane, Holmberg 10, :24. 3, Spokane, Rimmel 1 (King, Fiddler), 1:15. 4, Seattle, Delnov 3, 3:48. 5, Seattle, Sanvido 1 (Rouse, Forsberg), 6:13. 6, Spokane, Helewka 1 (Kichton, Predinchuk), 7:54. 7, Seattle, Sanvido 2 (Troock), 19:38. Penalties – Proft, Spo (major-fighting), 3:15. Hickman, Sea (major-fighting), 3:15. Kichton, Spo (hooking), 13:35.

Third period – 8, Seattle, Delnov 4 (Honey, Sanvido), 2:32 (pp). 9, Spokane, Gow 1 (Kichton, Holmberg), 17:26. 10, Seattle, Lockhart 5 (Delnov, Hauf), 18:40 (en). Penalties – Holmberg Spo (tripping), :49. Kichton, Spo (hooking), 1:58. Alos, Sea (tripping), 11:19.

Shots on goal – Seattle 7-11-5 23, Spokane 6-9-17 32. Goalies – Seattle, Glover 32 shots-28 saves (5-2-0-0); Spokane, Williams 22-17 (5-2-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 1-4; Spokane 0-1. A – 4,145. Referee – Jason Cramer, Brett Iverson. Linesmen – Zach Brooks, Kevin Boris.