T-Birds capture third game of preseason, 6-4 over Spokane

Connor Honey had two goals and an assist Sunday to help lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 6-4 win over the Spokane Chiefs in the teams’ third game at the Everett Silvertips preseason tournament.

Seattle goalie Justin Myles stopped 36 of 40 shots to get the win. Alexander Delnov and Jerret Smith each had two assists.

The T-Birds beat Tri-City 4-1 Friday afternoon and the Victoria Royals 6-5 in a shootout Saturday in their other games at the preseason tournament.

The T-Birds travel to Kennewick for two games at the Red Lion Hotels’ Preseason Tournament at the Toyota Center. The T-Birds face the Tri-City Americans at 7:05 p.m. Friday, and take on the Portland Winterhawks at 3 p.m. Saturday.

The T-Birds close out the preseason schedule with a home-and-home series against the Everett Silvertips. The T-Birds visit Everett on Friday, Sept. 13, for a 7:35 puck drop against the Silvertips. The T-Birds then make their only preseason appearance at the ShoWare Center on Saturday, Sept. 14 for a 7:05 p.m. contest against the Silvertips.

The T-Birds begin the regular season against Portland at the ShoWare Center on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 7:05 p.m.

Seattle (3-0-0-0) took a 1-0 lead at 16:46 of the first period. Honey tapped the puck into the neutral zone to create a one-on-one break with a Spokane defender in front of him. Honey carried the puck wide right into the Chiefs’ zone. In the right circle he crossed the puck to Alexander Delnov chasing the play. Delnov got to the puck in the left circle and sent it right back to Honey who had gone around the Chiefs defender. Spokane goalie Tyson Verhelst followed Honey’s pass and was out of position when Delnov passed the puck back. Honey put the puck into an empty net for his first preseason goal.

Spokane outshot Seattle 11-7 in the first period.

The T-Birds took a 2-0 lead at 2:33 of the second period on Honey’s second goal of the game. Jerret Smith dumped the puck into the left corner of the Chiefs zone where Michal Holub got to it. Holub centered the puck to Honey all alone in front of Verhelst. Honey beat the goalie through the legs for the goal.

Garret Hughson came at the midway mark of the second period. Verhelst faced 13 shots and made 11 saves.

Spokane (0-3-0-0) got on the boards at 13:58 of the second when Liam Stewart scored. Dominic Zwerger had the only assist on the goal.

Keegan Kolesar got the T-Birds two-goal lead back 30 seconds after the Chiefs goal. Griffin Foulk had the puck along the left boards. He sent the puck through the neutral zone to Kolesar on the right wing. Kolesar skated into the Chiefs zone and beat Hughson over the glove from the right circle with a wrist shot.

Nolan Volcan extended the T-Birds lead to 4-1 at 15:51 of the second. Delnov passed the puck to Honey who deked a Spokane defender at the blue line and entered the Chiefs zone. Honey sent the puck across to Volcan and he skated down the slot. Volcan beat Hughson over the blocker for the goal.

Carter Proft scored with two seconds left in the second period to get the Chiefs second goal. He tipped a point shot from Matt Sozanski that beat Seattle goalie Justin Myles. Adam Helewka had the second assist.

Both teams had 13 shots on goal in the second period and the Chiefs led 24-20 in total shots after two periods.

Mitch Elliot gave the T-Birds a three-goal lead at 2:43 of the third period. Smith banged the puck off the boards at the Chiefs blue line to Kolesar. Kolesar skated into the right circle and dropped the puck to Elliot. Elliot beat Hughson with a wrist shot through the goalie’s leg.

Markson Bechtold scored at 6:59 of the third to get the Chiefs third goal. Matt Yamamoto and Matt Sozanski had the assists.

The Chiefs cut the T-Birds lead to one goal when Tyson Predinchuk scored a power-play goal at 9:02 of the third. Yamamoto and Bechtold were credited with the assists.

Seth Swenson iced the game for the T-Birds with an empty-net goal at 19:26 of the third. Riley Sheen had an assist on the goal.

Spokane outshot Seattle 16-8 in the third period and 40-28 in the game.

Hughson made 11 saves on 14 shots and was credited with the loss.

Tickets on sale

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

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Honey 1 (Delnov), 16:46. Penalties – Zwerger, Spo (tripping), 4:36. Yamamoto, Spo (interference), 8:27. Barzal, Sea (interference), 10:22. Kolesar, Sea (interference), 12:55. Foulk, Sea (cross checking), 14:07. Whitwham, Spo (roughing), 14:07. Foulk, Sea (slashing), 17:58. Proft, Spo (roughing), 20:00. Wardley, Sea (roughing), 20:00.

Second period – 2, Seattle, Honey 2 (Holub, Smith), 2:33. 3, Spokane, Stewart 1 (Zwerger), 13:58. 4, Seattle, Kolesar 2 (Foulk), 14:29. 5, Seattle, Volcan 1 (Honey, Delnov), 15:51. 6, Spokane, Proft (Sozanski, Helewka), 19:59. Penalties – Honey, Sea (checking from behind), :21. Douglas, Sea (holding), 4:31. Proft, Spo (kneeing), 17:50.

Third period – 7, Seattle, Elliot 1 (Kolesar, Smith), 2:42. 8. Spokane, Bechtold 1 (Yamamoto, Sozanski), 6:59 (pp). 9, Spokane, Predinchuk 1 (Yamamoto, Bechtold), 9:02 (pp). 10, Seattle, Swenson 1 (Sheen), 19:26 (en). Penalties – Wardley, Sea (slashing), 3:16. Barzal, Sea (hooking),5:36. Foulk, Sea (cross checking), 8:53. Wolf, Sea (cross checking), 11:58.

Shots on goal – Seattle 7-13-8 28, Spokane 11-13-16 40. Goalies – Seattle, Myles 40 shots-36 saves (1-0-0-0); Spokane, Verhelst 13-11, Hughson 14-11 (0-1-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-3; Spokane 2-9. Referees – Sean Raphael, Nick Swaine. Linesmen – Kevin Boris, Zach Brooks.