Gropp Goals Grind Down Spokane

Gropp scores four goals in T-Birds 7-2 win over Spokane

SPOKANE, March 20, 2015 — Ryan Gropp scored four goals Friday night at Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 7-2 over the Spokane Chiefs.

The last T-Bird to score four goals in a game was Roberts Lipsbergs who did it March 16, 2013, in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Portland Winterhawks.

The T-Birds finished the 10-game regular season series against the Chiefs 7-2-0-1.

Mathew Barzal had three assists in the win. Barzal and Gropp are tied for the team lead in scoring with one game remaining this season. Gropp has 28 goals and 27 assists and Barzal has 12 goals and 43 assists.

The T-Birds finish the regular season Saturday against the Portland Winterhawks at 7:05pm at ShoWare Center. 

The T-Birds will face either the Winterhawks or the Everett Silvertips in the first round of the playoffs. The Silvertips are in first place in the US Division two points ahead of the Winterhawks. Each team has two games remaining. Everett plays the Victoria Royals Saturday in Everett and the Spokane Chiefs Sunday in Spokane. Portland plays the T-Birds Saturday and the Tri-City Americans Sunday in Portland.  The T-Birds will play whichever team comes in second place in the division in the first round of the playoffs.

Tickets for the Seattle Thunderbirds first home game of the 2015 Playoffs are now on sale. Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 of the first round series will be played in either Everett or Portland.  Games 3, 4 and 6 will be played at ShoWare Center.

Game 3 of the first round will be Tuesday, March 31, at ShoWare Center at 7:05pm. The first home playoff game for the T-Birds is a Director’s Mortgage 2-for-Tuesday game. All tickets for Game 3 are 2-for-1 and ShoWare Center will feature concession specials including $2 beer, $2 hot dogs, $2 soda and $2 popcorn for all fans.

Tickets for Game 3 are on sale on the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.

Tickets for the remaining home playoff games will be put on sale once an opponent has been determined.

Seattle (37-25-4-5) opened the scoring 6:39 into the first period. Barzal had the puck behind the Spokane net and dropped it for Roberts Lipsbergs. Lipsbergs found Gropp low in the right circle. Gropp snapped the puck over Spokane goalie Tyson Verhelst’s right shoulder for his 25th goal of the season.

Seattle outshot Spokane 11-7 in the first period.

The Chiefs had a chance to get back in the game five minutes into the second period when Sahvan Khaira was called for a five minute major kneeing penalty. The T-Birds were able to kill off a five-minute Chiefs power play and keep the 1-0 lead.

Nolan Volcan gave the T-Birds a 2-0 lead at 13:54 of the second period. Jerret Smith carried the puck out of the Seattle zone and then passed it to Volcan on the left wing. Volcan gained the Chiefs’ zone. In the left circle Volcan took a slap shot that beat Verhelst over the glove for his ninth goal of the season.

Spokane outshot Seattle 14-6 in the second period and led 21-17 in total shots after two periods.

The T-Birds came out with some jump in the third period and scored 35 seconds into the period to take a 3-0 lead. Jared Hauf passed the puck from the left point to Evan Wardley at the right point. Wardley took a wrist shot that Verhelst stopped but the rebound lay in the crease. Gropp slapped at the puck and put it past the goalie for his second goal of the night.

Spokane (34-32-3-1) spoiled the T-Birds shutout bid when Adam Helewka scored at 3:07 of the third. Riley Whittingham had the only assist.

The T-Birds took got the three-goal lead back at 6:12 of the third. A shot from Corey Millette rebounded out to the right point. Smith got to the puck and whipped it towards the Spokane net with Donovan Neuls screening Verhelst. Smith’s shot got through the screen and found the back of the net.

Gropp completed the hat trick at 9:58 of the third. Barzal skated the puck up the left wing into the Chiefs zone. Along the boards Barzal backhanded the puck to Kaden Elder in the left circle. Elder quickly crossed the puck to Gropp all alone to the right of the goal. Gropp waited out Verhelst forcing the goalie down and then he roofed the puck past the prone goalie.

The teams combined to score three goals in 33 seconds in the 16th minute of the game. Gropp scored at 15:17of the third to give the T-Birds a 6-1 lead. Barzal carried the puck into the Spokane on the right side. He passed the puck to Gropp who skated into the slot. Gropp beat Verhelst with a wrist shot through the leg for his fourth of the game.

Dominic Zwerger scored 13 seconds after Gropp’s fourth goal to get the Chiefs second goal of the game. Liam Stewart had the only assist.

Cory Millette scored 19 seconds after the Chiefs goal to give the T-Birds a 7-2 lead. Lane Pederson put the puck into the right corner of the Chiefs zone. The puck rimmed around the board to Alexander True behind the net. True passed the puck to Millette below the goal line to the left of the Spokane net. Millette threw the puck at the net and it went in off Verhelst for his 23rd goal of the season.

Spokane replaced Verhelst with Garret Hughson after the T-Birds seventh goal. Hughson did not face a shot.

Seattle outshot Spokane 13-10 in the third period and Spokane finished with a 31-30 advantage in shots.

Seattle goalie Taran Kozun had 29 saves on 31 shots to get the win and improve his record to 33-19-4-4.

Verhelst’s record is now 11-10-0-0 after making 23 saves on 3-0 shots.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Gropp 25 (Lipsbergs, Barzal), 6:39. Penalties – Hauf, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 1:56. Zwerger, Spo (unsportsmanlike conduct), 1:56. Fiala, Spo (roughing), 1:56. Gropp, Sea (tripping), 14:34.

Second period – 2, Seattle, Volcan 9 (Smith), 13:54. Penalties – Khaira, Sea (major-kneeing, game misconduct), 5:12.

Third period – 3, Seattle, Gropp 26 (Wardley, Hauf), :35. 4, Spokane, Helewka 42 (Whittingham), 1:17. 5, Seattle, Smith 11 (Millette), 6:17. 6, Seattle, Gropp 27 (Elder, Barzal ), 9:58. 7, Seattle, Gropp 28 (Barzal), 15:17. 8, Spokane, Zwerger (Stewart), 15:30. 9, Seattle, Millette 23 (True), 15:49. Penalties – Stewart, Spo (interference), 3:07. Eansor, Sea (boarding), 7:16.

Shots on goal – Seattle 11-6-13 30, Spokane 7-14-10 31. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 31 shots-29 saves (33-19-4-4); Spokane, Verhelst 30-23 (11-10-0-0), Hughson 0-0. Power plays – Seattle 0-2; Spokane 0-3. A – 6,743. Referees – Mike Langin, Jason Nissen. Linesmen – Jeremi Del Campo, Jason Michelbook.