T-Birds thump Spokane 5-2 to end weekend

EVERETT – It didn’t take Mathew Barzal and Ryan Gropp long to regain their chemistry Sunday afternoon.

After not playing together in any of the training camp scrimmages, the two were back together Sunday. It took them less than five minutes to hook up as Barzal fed Gropp in the slot for an early short-handed goal, setting the tone for the game as Seattle went on to a dominant 5-2 win over the Spokane Chiefs at the Xfinity Arena in Everett.

Seattle outshot the young Chiefs 32-18 while Barzal and Gropp combined for two goals and three assists. Jamal Watson added two goals of his own and Logan Flodell made 16 saves in the win.

The T-Birds built a 4-0 lead in the second period and never looked back to pick up their second win of the weekend.

While Barzal and Gropp have practiced together, it was important for the team to get them into a game before they head to their respective NHL camps next week.

“I know Groppy wanted to get one in here before he could get off to camp and get some rust off,” head coach Steve Konowalchuk said. “That should be a good pair for us.”

Watson turned in another strong game along with his linemates, Nolan Volcan and Scott Eansor. Volcan picked up two assists and Eansor added one. That line gives the T-Birds a tremendous speed advantage which was on display when Eansor set up Watson’s first goal on a two-on-one.

“I thought there was good team speed out there,” Konowalchuk said of his team. “I thought our players played a relentless hockey game.”

Seattle started the weekend getting shut out on Friday by Tri City but in the past two games they have notched five goals each time out. Konowalchuk still felt there might have been room for some more.

“Anytime you can get five goals you’re happy,” Konowalchuk said. “(We needed) a little more traffic though, I think the goalie is still seeing too many. There were some rebounds we weren’t quite ready for. A few more opportunities there, another good building block.”

Flodell got his first start of the preseason and didn’t see too much action. He made the saves he needed too but would have preferred to be tested more than he was.

“It’s hard to get into the game when you only get a couple of shots but you do what you have to do,” Flodell said. “Two shots in the first isn’t what I expected but the team played well in front of me.”

The T-Birds are still looking to sort out which of their goaltenders is going to get the lion share of the work this season. Flodell and Taz Burman continue to fight it out for the honor.

“Taz is a great goalie and there’s going to be lots of battling for ice time and we’ve got to earn it,” Flodell said. “It’s up to the coaches, but whoever works harder in practice is going to earn it.”

Sunday was the last day with the team for 2015 first round pick Elijah Brown. The 15 year old from Edmonton isn’t eligible to play full time with the club until next season but he enjoyed his time in camp.

“It’s a crazy experience,” he said through a big smile. “The guys all helped me out and playing besides Barzal and Gropp (was great). Knowing how good this team is and how they’re together, its an unbelievable experience.”

Brown picked up his first point in a Seattle uniform when he was given an assist on Jamal Watson’s second goal mid-way through the third period. Even though it’s just a presason point, Brown was happy. He’ll now head home to play out his midget season before returning to Seattle next fall to try and make the team.

“I can’t wait,” he said. “It’s going to be hard 365 days but I’ll make it.”

The T-Birds will now head to Kennewick for two more preseason games next weekend. They’ll play the Kootenay Ice on Friday and then take on the host Tri City Americans Saturday.

Notes

• Donovan Neuls suffered a knee injury in the third period when Spokane’s Hudson Elynuik caught him coming up ice. Neuls lay on the ice in what appeared to be serious pain for a few minutes before being helped off the ice. Konowalchuk did not have an update on the severity of the injury after the game. Elynuik was assessed a five-minute kneeing major and a game misconduct and most likely will face league discipline for the hit.

• Spokane went 0-3 in the tournament, mostly playing their younger players. They were outscored 16-4.

• Jamal Watson ends the weekend with three goals which leads the T-Birds.

• Seattle will be considerably short handed next weekend as players head to NHL camps. Seattle will be without Barzal (New York Islanders), Ryan Gropp (New York Rangers), Keegan Kolesar (Columbus Blue Jackets), Ethan Bear (Edmonton Oilers), Gustav Olhaver (Colorado Avalanche), Jamal Watson (Montreal Canadiens), Scott Eansor (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jerret Smith (New York Rangers) and Turner Ottenbreit (New York Rangers).

Follow Andy Eide on Twitter @andyeide.

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