Bear Blasts Chiefs With Hat Trick

Kolesar has goal and two assists in 5-1 win over Spokane

KENT, December 11, 2015 — Ethan Bear had a hat trick Friday night at ShoWare Center to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 5-1 victory over the Spokane Chiefs.

Bear has nine goals and 24 assists on the season for 31 points. He leads the WHL in scoring by a defenseman. Bear is three goals behind Jake Bean of the Calgary Hitmen for the lead in goals scored by defenseman.

Keegan Kolesar had a goal and two assist in the game. Ryan Gropp and Jerret Smith each had two assists in the game.

Seattle goalie Logan Flodell had 25 saves on 26 shots and his record is now 11-5-2-0.

The T-Birds improve their home record to 11-0-1-0 with the win. They are in first place in the US Division, three points ahead of the Chiefs and four points ahead of the Everett Silvertips.

The Silvertips are at ShoWare Center Saturday night at 7:05pm.

Seattle (18-9-2-0) took a 1-0 lead at 8:17 of the first period on a power-play goal by Bear.  Smith corralled a loose puck in the left corner. Smith passed the puck to Bear at center ice and Bear quickly moved the puck to Gropp in the right circle. Gropp held the puck and then passed it back to Bear. Bear settled the puck and then took a slap shot with Alexander True screening Spokane goalie Tyson Verhelst. Bear’s shot beat Verhelst on the blocker side.

Seattle outshot Spokane 11-9 in the first period.

Jamal Watson gave the T-Birds a 2-0 lead 1:45 into the second period. Bear passed the puck to Scott Eansor who carried it into the neutral zone. Eansor passed the puck to Watson who had his back to the Chiefs zone. Watson spun and carried the puck into the Chiefs zone down left wing on a partial breakaway. Watson ripped the puck over Verhelst’s blocker into the top right corner of the net.

The T-Birds went in front 3-0 on a tic-tac-toe passing play that ended with Bear putting the puck into an empty net for a power-play goal. Gropp crossed the puck from the left point to Smith at the right point. Smith sent the puck low to True to the right of the goal. True quickly centered the puck to Kolesar in the slot. Kolesar moved the puck to Bear all alone at the bottom of the left circle. Bear whipped the puck into the net as Verhelst was diving over to try and make the save.

Spokane (16-11-2-1) cut the T-Birds lead to two goals at 14:31 of the second. Keanu Yamamoto scored from the left of the net on a scramble in front of Flodell. Hudson Elynuik and Matt Sozanski had the assists.

The T-Birds outshot the Chiefs 17-10 in the second period and led 28-19 in shots after two periods.
Kolesar scored his 16th goal of the season to give the T-Birds a 4-1 lead at 1:43 of the third period. Smith skated the puck into the Chiefs zone on the left side. Smith crossed the puck to Kolesar skating right to left through the slot. Kolesar put a quick backhand shot on net that beat Verhelst over the right shoulder. Jarret Tyszka had the second assist.

Bear completed the hat trick at 18:13 of the third. Gropp and Kolesar won the puck in a battle alone the left boards. Gropp crossed the puck to Bear in enter ice and he skated down the slot and wired the puck over Verhelst’s glove.

Seattle outshot Spokane 10-7 in the third period and 38-26 in the game.

Verhelst made 33 saves on 38 shots and his record is now 13-6-0-1.

T-Birds single game tickets for the 2015-16 season are available online at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday 10 am to 5 pm Saturday game days at 10 am and Sunday game days at noon.

T-Birds season tickets are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Bear 7 (Gropp, Smith), 8:17 (pp). Penalties – Bear, Sea (delay of game), 4:15. Bechtold, Spo (slashing), 7:19. Ke. Yamamoto, Spo (tripping), 16:28.

Second period – 2, Seattle, Watson 6 (Eansor, Bear), 1:45. 3, Seattle, Bear 9 (Kolesar, True), 12:12 (pp). 4, Spokane, Ke. Yamamoto 7 (Elynuik, Sozanski), 14:31. Penalties – Fram, Spo (elbowing), 8:10. Hauf, Sea (roughing), 8:10. Bechtold, Spo (roughing), 8:10. True, Sea (tripping), 8:18. Whittingham, Spo (interference), 11:14. Gropp, Sea (), 20:00. Whittingham, Spo (), 20:00.

Third period – 5, Seattle, Kolesar 16 (Smith, Tyszka), 1:43. 6, Seattle, Bear 9 (Gropp, Kolesar), 18:13. Penalties – Schuldhaus, Sea (cross checking), 18:30.

Shots on goal – Seattle 11-17-10 38, Spokane 9-10-7 26. Goalies – Seattle, Flodell 26 shots-25 saves (11-5-2-0); Spokane, Verhelst 38-33 (13-6-0-1). Power plays – Seattle 2-4; Spokane 0-3. A – 4,050. Referees – Ryan Benbow, Curtis Marouelli. Linesmen – Zach Brooks, Brendon Creyke.