T-Birds vanquish Spokane in overtime Dec. 15

Seattle Thunderbirds right wing Burke Gallimore had a hat trick Dec. 15 at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena to help lead the T-Birds to a 5-4 overtime victory over the Spokane Chiefs.

Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard returned from the Canadian National Junior Team Selection Camp in Toronto on Wednesday afternoon. Pickard made 40 saves on 44 shots and improved his record to 14-9-2-4.

Pickard did not travel with the team to Spokane as his flight arrived after the team had left. Pickard was picked up at Sea-Tac airport by general manager Russ Farwell and they drove to Spokane. Pickard was not selected as a member of the Canadian World Junior Team and is now back with the T-Birds for the rest of the season.

Travis Toomey won the game for the T-Birds when he scored with 44 seconds left in overtime. Travis Bobbee got to a loose puck in the neutral zone. Bobbee fed the puck to Gallimore coming into the Spokane zone. Gallimore dropped the puck for Toomey and he beat Spokane goalie James Reid with a hard wrist shot.

The T-Birds take on the Portland Winterhawks on Saturday, December 18, at ShoWare Center at 7:05 p.m. Left wing Marcel Noebels and defenseman Dave Sutter will not be with the T-Birds for this game. Noebels will be with Team Germany as they prepare for the World Junior Championship in Buffalo, New York. Sutter will be at the Team Switzerland World Junior Team Selection Camp.

Brenden Kichton opened the scoring with a power-play goal at 8:07 of the first period to put the Chiefs in front 1-0. Mitch Holmberg and Tyler Johnson assisted on the goal.

Holmberg scored at 12:37 of the first period to extend the Chiefs lead to 2-0. Darren Kramer and goalie James Reid were credited with the assists.

Spokane (18-9-3-2) outshot Seattle 13-7 in the first period.

Dominik Uher redirected a point shot from Corbin Baldwin past Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard to make it a 3-0 Spokane lead at 6:02 of the second. Johnson had the second assist on the goal.

Seattle (14-10-3-4) got on the board at 8:21 of the second on a 4-on-3 power-play goal from Burke Gallimore. Marcel Noebels held the puck at the bottom of the right circle. Noebels made a cross-slot pass to Gallimore in the left circle. Gallimore took the pass and ripped the shot past Spokane goalie James Reid for his 15th goal of the year.

The T-Birds cut the Chiefs lead to one goal at 15:46 of the second. Erik Bonsor sent the puck from the left point down low to Travis Toomey. Toomey passed the puck to Brendan Rouse behind the goal. Rouse carried the puck out from behind the net and from the right goal line put a sharp angle shot on the Spokane net. Rouse’s shot snuck through Reid for his fifth goal of the year.

Both teams had 12 shots on goal in the second period and the Chiefs led 25-19 in total shots after 40 minutes.

Seattle tied the game 3-3 at 4:27 of the third period on a power-play goal by Gallimore. Gallimore poked the puck under Reid after a scramble in front of the Spokane goal. Luke Lockhart was credited with the only assist on Gallimore’s second goal of the game.

Kichton scored at 7:14 of the third to put the Chiefs in front 4-3. Holmberg had the only assist on the goal.

Seattle came right back and tied the game 4-4 at 11:34 of the third. Chance Lund stole the puck from a Spokane player. Lund fed Gallimore and the right wing beat Reid for his third goal of the game.

The T-Birds outshot the Chiefs 15-14 in the third period but the Chiefs led in total shots, 39-34, after 60 minutes.

Spokane outshot Seattle 44-35 in the game.

Reid stopped 30 of 35 shots and his record is now 18-7-2-1.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Spokane, Kichton 7 (Holmberg, Johnson), 8:07 (pp). 2, Spokane, Holmberg 8 (Kramer, Reid), 12:37. Penalties – Elliot, Sea (major-fighting), :22. Kramer, Spo (major-fighting), :22. Dillon, Sea (roughing), 6:54. Elliot, Sea (slashing), 14:31.

Second period – 3, Spokane, Uher 6 (Baldwin, Johnson), 6:02. 4, Seattle, Gallimore 15 (Noebels), 8:21 (pp). 5, Seattle, Rouse 5 (Toomey, Bonsor), 15:46. Penalties – Gal, Spo (interference), 2:10. Valcourt, Spo (goaltender interference), 6:49. Toomey, Sea (roughing), 6:49. Kichton, Spo (checking from behind), 8:04.

Third period – 6, Seattle, Gallimore 16 (Lockhart), 4:27 (pp). 7, Spokane, Kichton 8 (Holmberg), 7:14. 8, Seattle, Gallimore 17 (Lund), 11:34. Penalties – Gow, Spo (high-sticking), 4:16. Vandane, Spo (holding), 14:57.

Overtime – 9, Seattle, Toomey 5 (Gallimore, Bobbee), 4:15. Penalties – No penalties.

Shots on goal – Seattle 7-12-15-1 35. Spokane 13-12-14-4 43. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 44 shots-40 saves (14-9-2-4); Spokane, Reid 35-30 (18-7-2-1). Power plays – Seattle 2-4; Spokane 1-2. A – 4,026. Referee – Devin Klein. Linesmen – Anthony Guzzo, Jeremy Del Campo.