The Seattle Thunderbirds got two goals from Roberts Lipsbergs and a goal and an assist from Mathew Barzal to defeat the Tri-City Americans 3-1 Tuesday night at the Toyota Center.
The Americans only got one goal past Seattle goalie Danny Mumaugh who was very solid in net to improve his record to 9-5-1-3. Mumaugh finished with 22 saves on 23 shots.
The T-Birds are now in fourth place in the Western Conference. They are four points behind the third place Everett Silvertips and six points behind the Kelowna Rockets and Portland Winterhawks, who are tied for first place.
The T-Birds have now won seven consecutive games and have a home-and-home series with the Winterhawks this weekend. The T-Birds host the Winterhawks at 7:35 p.m. Friday at the ShoWare Center. The T-Birds are at the Moda Center on Saturday for the second game of the series, which starts at 7:05 p.m.
Seattle (19-9-1-3) took a 1-0 lead 5:12 into the first period on Lipsbergs 20th goal of the season. Barzal carried the puck into the Americans zone on the left side and then cut towards the net. He dropped the puck for Lipsbergs in the slot. Lipsbergs beat Tri-City goalie Eric Comrie over the glove for the goal.
Tri-City (17-14-1-2) tied the game 1-1 when Lucas Nickles scored at 17:24 of the second on a partial breakaway in a four-on-four situation. Marcus Messier chipped the puck up to Nickles who skated down the left wing and beat Mumaugh through the legs.
Seattle led 22-17 in shots after two periods.
The T-Birds took a 2-1 lead at 2:50 of the second period. Keegan Kolesar carried the into the right corner of Tri-City zone. Kolesar passed the puck to Swenson in the right circle. Swenson put a shot on goal with Barzal crashing the net. Swenson’s shot hit Comrie in the chest and rebounded off Barzal and into the net. It was Barzal’s sixth goal of the season.
Lipsbergs iced the game for the T-Birds with an empty-net goal at 19:25 of the third. Lipsbergs took a pass from Scott Eansor and scored from just inside the Americans blue line.
Seattle outshot Tri-City 10-6 in the third period and 32-23 in the game.
Comrie made 29 saves on 31 shots and his record is now 14-12-1-2.
Tickets
Game tickets are available online at the T-Birds website, tickets.seattlethunderbirds.com, 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.
Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – No scoring. Penalties – Tot, Tri (slashing), 4:15. Hickman, Sea (roughing), 9:37. Hamonic, Tri (roughing), 9:37. Gropp, Sea (holding), 10:49. Rankin, Tri (high-sticking), 11:40. Yakubowski, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 20:00. Southam, Tri (unsportsmanlike conduct), 20:00.
Second period – 1, Seattle, Lipsbergs 20 (Barzal), 5:12. 2, Tri-City, Nickles 8 (Messier, Hubic), 17:24. Penalties – Yakubowski, Sea (major-fighting), 2:19. Southam, Tri (major-fighting), 2:19. Elliot, Sea (major-fighting), 10:14. Astles, Tri (major-fighting), 10:14. Hauf, Sea (delay of game), 16:19. Wotherspoon, Tri (tripping), 16:40.
Third period – 3, Seattle, Barzal 6 (Swenson, Kolesar), 2:50. 4, Seattle, Lipsbergs 21 (Eansor), 19:25 (en). Penalties – McAndrews, Tri (unsportsmanlike conduct),
Shots on goal – Seattle 6-16-10 32, Tri-City 11-6-6 23. Goalies – Seattle, Mumaugh 23 shots-22 saves (9-5-1-3); Tri-City, Comrie 31-29 (14-12-1-2). Power plays – Seattle 0-4; Tri-City 0-2. A – 3,312. Referees – Jason Nissen, Derek Zalaski. Linesmen – Jason Michelbook, Trevor Shively.
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