Spokane skates past Thunderbirds

Hamaliuk scores in 4-1 loss to Chiefs

October 31, 2018 5:30 am
The Thunderbirds’ Dillon Hamaliuk. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds
The Thunderbirds’ Dillon Hamaliuk. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds

The Spokane Chiefs defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-1 in Western Hockey League play Tuesday night at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.

Spokane (8-4-1-2) took a 1-0 lead at 18:58 of the first period on Jake McGrew’s goal. Ty Smith had the only assist.

Spokane outshot Seattle 15-9 in the first period.

The Chiefs went in front 2-0 on Riley Woods’ power-play goal at 7:59 of the second period. Eli Zummack and Smith had the assists.

Seattle (7-4-2-0) cut the Chiefs’ lead to one at 14:40 of the second. Jaxan Kaluski forced a turnover in the left corner of the Spokane zone. Kaluski threw the puck to the front of the Chiefs net where Noah Philp got a stick on it forcing a scramble. Dillon Hamaliuk slammed the puck past Spokane goalie Bailey Brkin for his eighth goal of the season.

Spokane had a 25-18 advantage in shots by outshooting Seattle 10-9 in the second period.

Woods scored a power-play goal at 6:20 of the third period off assists from Smith and Brkin to give the Chiefs a 3-1 lead.

Seattle goalie Liam Hughes was pulled with 1:51 left in the third period for an extra attacker.

Spokane’s Egor Abruzov scored an unassisted empty-net goal at 18:57 to seal the win.

Hughes finished with 28 saves on 31 shots.

Brkin made 22 saves on 23 shots.

Up next

The T-Birds travel to Prince George for back-to-back games against the Cougars on Friday and Saturday. Both games are at 7 p.m. They return home on Friday, Nov. 9 to face the Kelowna Rockets at the accesso ShoWare Center at 7:35 p.m.

Single-game tickets are on sale online and at the ShoWare box office.

Fans who purchase the 24-flex ticket package will be able to select any available premium seat for any game, in any ticket combination, during the 2018-19 season.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Spokane, McGrew 6 (Smith), 18:58. Penalties – Lee, Sea (double minor, high-sticking), 10:47.

Second period – 2, Spokane, Woods 9 (Zummack, Smith), 7:59 (pp). 3, Seattle, Hamaliuk 8 (Kaluski, Philp), 14:40. Penalties – McNelly, Sea (major-fighting), 3:16. Faith, Spo (major-fighting), 3:16. Toporowski, Spo (unsportsmanlike conduct), 14:29. Kaluski, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 14:29. Kubicek, Sea (slashing), 7:03. McGrew, Spo (goaltender interference), 10:44. Wedman, Sea (charging, major-fighting), 15:16. Smith, Spo (unsportsmanlike conduct, major-fighting), 15:16. Zummack, Spo (holding), 16:34. Andrusiak, Sea (charging), 20:00.

Third period – 4, Spokane, Woods 10 (Smith, Brkin), 6:20. 5, Spokane, Arbuzov 1, 18:57 (en). Penalties – Faith, Spo (tripping), 3:08. Williams, Sea (hooking), 6:00.

Shots on goal – Seattle 9-9-5 23, Spokane 15-10-7 32. Goalies – Seattle, Hughes 31 shots-28 saves (7-3-1-0); Spokane, Brkin 23-22 (7-1-1-1). Power plays – Seattle 0-3; Spokane 2-5. A – 3,312. Referees – Mike Campbell, Mark Pearce. Linesmen – Tim Plamondon, Jackson Kozari.