THUNDERBIRDS

Game 60: Solid team effort propels the Thunderbirds over Spokane

Feb 23, 2011, 10:01 PM | Updated: Apr 6, 2011, 11:23 am

(22-29-4-5) Seattle Thunderbirds 5, (38-17-4-2) Spokane Chiefs 1

Rouse with a goal and assist…Noebels gets two assists.. Sutter picks up first WHL goal

SPOKANE– Taking advantage of a rusty James Reid the Thunderbirds score five goals from five different players and dump the Chiefs 5-1 to pick up a big road win.

Seattle has now won three of their last four games.

The Birds went on the power play at 5:28 of the first period when Matt Marantz was called for Roughing. They did not convert and had two shots on net.

Brendan Rouse went to the box for Hooking at 9:58 to put Spokane on the power play. They did not convert and had no shots on net.

Mitch Elliot and Darren Kramer dropped the gloves and Elliot quickly threw Kramer to the ground and pounded him before the officials stepped in. They both got two minutes for Roughing at the 12:25 mark.

The Birds went up 1-0 at 15:33. A puck went off the pad of Reid (29-9-2-1) and slowly slid across the line. Rouse (9) scored the goal unassisted.

With just 12.5 seconds left in the period Luke Lockhart (18) shot one past Reid to give the Birds a 2-0 lead. Assists went to Colin Jacobs and Marcel Noebels.

After 20 minutes the Birds led 2-0. Shots were 14-13 in favor of the Chiefs.

The Chiefs got on the board at 2:02 of the second period when Anthony Bardaro (13) knocked one past Calvin Pickard 22-27-3-5) to cut the Birds lead to 2-1.

Spokane went to the power play at 2:29. Erik Bonsor was called for Slashing. They did not convert and had one shot.

Seattle went on the power play at 13:42. Blake Gal went to the box for Tripping. They didn’t convert and had two shots.

The Birds held onto a 2-1 lead after two periods. Shots in the second period were 10-7 in favor of Spokane who led 24-20 overall.

The Birds went to the power play at 1:31 of the third period when Davis Vandane was called for Delay of Game. The Birds went up 3-1 at 2:44 as Dave Sutter scored his first WHL goal. It was unassisted.

Jacobs (20) put the Birds up 4-1 at 4:44. Assists went to Noebels and Connor Sanvido .

Seattle went up 5-1 at 5:05 when Burke Gallimore scored his 28th goal of the season. The assist went to Rouse.

Spokane changed goalies replacing Reid with Mac Engel.

The Birds went to the power play at 11:32. Marantz was called for Roughing. They did not convert.

Kramer got into another bout this time with Jacob Doty. Their respective nights ended at 18:48.

The Birds go on to win 5-1 to get back to back wins for the first time since December 15-16.

Shots in the third period were 16-6 in favor of the Chiefs. They out shot the Birds 40-26 overall.

A great road game for the Birds. I can’t remember the last time they scored the first two goals of a game but that was exactly what they did tonight. They also finished the game with three unanswered goals.

Spokane’s Reid was no doubt rusty after missing 13 games with a hip injury and the Birds took advantage.

Noebels just found out yesterday that his finger wasn’t broken just bruised. It wasn’t expected however that he would play tonight yet there he was in the lineup where he scored two points to help lead his team to victory.

Rouse also had a big game as did Sutter in scoring his first WHL goal. The Birds will continue to need everyone pitching in if they are to have a real shot at making the playoffs.

With the win the Birds tie the Bruins in points and remain five points behind Kamloops. They also gain two points on Prince George and are within six points.

The Birds next game is Friday night in Tri-City. Game time is 7 pm. The action can be heard live at MyNorthwest.com.

Game Notes:

D Erik Fleming (shoulder) did not play.

– The Thunderbirds road record improves to 13-14-3-2.

– Seattle is now 4-4 against Spokane this season.

– Seattle was 1 for 4 on the power play. Spokane was 0 for 2.

Game Summary: (courtesy of the WHL website)

1st Period-1, Seattle, Rouse 9 15:33. 2, Seattle, Lockhart 18 (Jacobs, Noebels), 19:48. Penalties-Marantz Spo (roughing), 5:28; Rouse Sea (hooking), 9:58; Elliot Sea (roughing), 12:25; Kramer Spo (roughing), 12:25.

2nd Period-3, Spokane, Bardaro 13 (Vanscourt, Vandane), 2:02. Penalties-Bonsor Sea (slashing), 2:29; Gal Spo (tripping), 13:42.

3rd Period-4, Seattle, Sutter 1 2:44 (PP). 5, Seattle, Jacobs 20 (Noebels, Sutter), 4:44. 6, Seattle, Gallimore 28 (Rouse), 5:05. Penalties-Vandane Spo (delay of game), 1:31; Marantz Spo (closing hand on puck), 11:32; Doty Sea (major-fighting), 18:48; Kramer Spo (major-fighting), 18:48.

Shots on Goal-Seattle 13-7-6-26. Spokane 14-10-16-40.

Power Play Opportunities-Seattle 1 / 4; Spokane 0 / 2.

Goalies-Seattle, Pickard 22-27-3-5 (40 shots-39 saves). Spokane, Reid 29-9-2-1 (24 shots-19 saves); Engel 9-7-2-1 (2 shots-2 saves).

A-4,119

Referees-Jeff Ingram, Brett Montsion.

Linesmen-Bevan Mills (98), Kiel Murchison (46).

mike.caccioppoli@yahoo.com

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