Ethan Bear scored 14 seconds into overtime to lift the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 2-1 Western Hockey League victory over the Spokane Chiefs at the ShoWare Center on Friday night.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Seattle improves to 32-22-3-0, three points behind the Everett Silvertips for first place in the U.S. Division. The T-Birds are in Everett on Saturday to face the Silvertips at 7:05 p.m. at Xfinity Arena.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Off the overtime opening faceoff, Mathew Barzal won the puck back to Bear, who skated backward with the puck to get in position for a breakout. Bear passed the puck to Ryan Gropp at the Seattle blue line and headed up ice. Gropp passed the puck back to Bear, who carried it into the Spokane zone. Bear took a big slap shot just inside the blue line that beat Spokane goalie Tyson Verhelst over the glove.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Bear scored the T-Birds first goal at 13:15 of the third period to tie the game 1-1. Barzal won a faceoff in the right circle of the Spokane zone back to Bear the right point. Bear moved toward center ice and took a wrist shot with traffic in front of Verhelst. Bear’s shot beat the goalie low.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Seattle goalie Logan Flodell made 17 saves on 18 shots to improve his record to 18-12-3-0.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Spokane (27-22-5-3) took a 1-0 lead at 11:58 of the second period. Markson Bechtold was held up on a shorthanded breakaway and awarded a penalty shot. Bechtold beat Flodell on the blocker side for the goal.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Seattle thought they tied the game at 5:45 of the third period on a goal from Nolan Volcan.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Volcan got a stick on a loose puck right next to the Spokane net but was knocked down from behind. While he was on the ice the puck went in the net and the referee pointed at the net to indicate the T-Birds had scored. The play went to video review and it was determined the puck was kicked into the net and the goal was disallowed.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The T-Birds outshot the Chiefs 20-3 in the third period and 36-18 in the game.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Verhelst made 34 saves on 36 shots and his record is now 20-17-1-3.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n