Ryan Gropp leads T-Birds to a 7-2 sacking of Spokane

By Andy Eide

Seattle winger Ryan Gropp will remember Friday night’s game in Spokane for a long time.

Gropp scored four times as Seattle exploded for five goals in the third period on their way to a convincing 7-2 rout of the Chiefs at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. His linemate Mathew Barzal picked up three assists on the night as the T-Birds won their season series with the Chiefs seven games to three.

The four goals was a career best for Gropp, who scored early in the first and at will late in the game. Head coach Steve Konowalchuk had moved Gropp up to the line with Barzal a couple of games ago and the two have displayed great chemistry.

Gropp had gone eight games without a goal but now has five goals in his last four games. He’s getting hot just in time for the playoffs to start.

“Its good for him,” Konowalchuk said. “Confidence wise you want him at a high level when the playoffs start. It’s good to see. That line has been the best it’s been as far as working together more. They’re not standing around watching.”

With four goals, Gropp has 28 on the season. That leads the team and he remains tied with Barzal for the overall team lead in scoring with 55 points.

After a big win in Kelowna on Wednesday in which they clinched third place in the division, Seattle (37-25-4-5) could have easily let up on Friday. They weren’t going to be able to improve their first-round playoff seeding with the win but they did still have something to play for.

“We wanted to get fourth (in the Western Conference),” Konowalchuk said. “What we’ve been stressing the last week is we start the regular season, finish as high as you can to give yourselves the best chance in playoffs. The higher you are in the standings, you don’t know, it might pay dividends somewhere down the line.”

With Friday’s win the T-Birds clinched fourth spot in the conference as they moved to three points up on Victoria. With the new WHL playoff format that would mean that if both teams escape the divisional rounds of the playoffs the T-Birds would have home ice advantage in a conference finals match up.

With that in mind the T-Birds started strong on Friday.

They played a physical game early to set a tone and got on the board when the top line got to work six minutes into the contest. Barzal got the puck to Roberts Lipsbergs behind the net. Lipsbergs looked up and saw Gropp crashing through the slot. He got the puck to him and Gropp knocked it past goalie Tyson Verhelst for his first of the night.

The T-Birds took a two-goal lead in the second when Nolan Volcan scored on a big slap shot off of a rush. With Seattle up 2-0 the Chiefs would have a chance to get right back in the game.

Sahvan Khaira was given a five-minute major penalty for kneeing after he collided with Spokane’s Riley Whittingham. The replays would show that perhaps five minutes was too much for the play as there did not appear to be any attempt to injure by Khaira.

The call meant that Khaira’s night would end as he also picked up a game misconduct for the play. Konowalchuk did not agree with the call and called the referee over for an explanation. He didn’t quite get one.

“To be honest I was quite upset,” he said. “I didn’t give the ref a chance to give me an explanation. I thought it should have been a two. To me a five should be an attempt to injure…I thought it was an unfortunate call.”

The result was a five-minute power-play opportunity for the Chiefs who could have jumped right back in the game. The Seattle penalty kill was ready for the challenge however and gave the Chiefs fits trying to set up their power play. The T-Birds were quick to turn the puck over and send it back down to the Spokane end.

After five-minutes the Chiefs had accumulated a couple of harmless shots on Taran Kozun but nothing else. It was a turning point of the game.

“I thought we were in good position, aggressive when we needed to be,” Konowalchuk said of the kill. “That was a big kill, a five-minute penalty and if they get a goal there its a 2-1 hockey game and they get some life.”

In the third period the T-Birds would score at will and would blow the game wide open. Gropp scored three times in the period as he used his speed to find space to get off his quick and accurate shot. He worked well with Barzal and Lipsbergs on the top line, which was dangerous on each shift. Barzal’s three assists were all on Gropp’s goals and that line was a combined plus-11 on the night.

The T-Birds also picked up goals from Cory Millette and Jerret Smith in the explosive third period. Smith’s goal may likely be changed and awarded to Donovan Neuls who appeared to deflect Smith’s shot from right in front of the net.

Spokane managed to get on the board and ruin Kozun’s shut out attempt by scoring twice in the third period. The goals came from Adam Helewka and Domonic Zwerger. Kozun ended the night with 29 saves on 31 shots faced.

“It was a good win,” Konowalchuk said. “The guys were ready to play. I thought we were physical early (Evan Wardley) had a couple of big hits early and I think that got our team into it.”

The T-Birds have one regular season game remaining and will play that on Saturday night when they host the Portland Winterhawks. The game means nothing for Seattle from a seeding standpoint, but it means everything for Portland. The Winterhawks were beaten in Tri City Friday night and now trail Everett by two points for the top spot in the U.S. Division.

Notes

Saturday’s game may determine who Seattle’s first round foe will be in the playoffs. If the T-Birds were to win, and Everett beats Victoria, then it will be Seattle and Portland in the opening round. If Seattle looses than the division will be decided on Sunday as Portland hosts Tri City and Everett goes to Spokane.

Gropp’s hat trick was his second in his career. He scored three times last season during a January game in Prince George. It was his first four-goal game and his fifth career multi-goal game. It was the second Seattle hat trick in three games as Scott Eansor picked one up Tuesday against Tri City.

Seattle has won their last five games against the Spokane Chiefs.

Before Khaira was ejected from the game, Evan Warldey had been taking some shifts at forward. Konowalchuk said he had wanted Khaira to get some time at defense on Friday night so he moved Wardley up front. That plan was out the door however once Khaira got the gate. Wardley moved back to defense for the rest of the night.

It will be interesting to see how Konowalchuk plays Saturday night as he has the option of resting players to get ready for the post season. After Friday’s game he said he and his staff would assess where the team was at and decide what the game plan will be.

Follow Andy Eide on Twitter @andyeide.

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