Scott Ratzlaff Debuts as T-Birds Fall to Chiefs
May 1, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
SPOKANE - The Spokane Chiefs defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 8-3 Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The T-Birds host the Portland Winterhawks on Sunday at 5:05pm at accesso ShoWare Center in a game that will be broadcast on JOEtv Channel 22/Cable 110. The game against the Chiefs was also broadcast on JOEtv.
Goalie Scott Ratzlaff made his T-Birds debut in the game, starting the third period in relief of Jackson Berry. Ratzlaff was the T-Birds second round pick, 43rd overall, in the 2020 WHL Draft and signed a Standard WHL Player Agreement with the team on May 1, 2020. Ratzlaff stopped Eli Zummack on a breakaway 44 seconds into his debut.
Spokane went in front 1-0 at 3:48 of the first period on a goal by Eli Zummack.
The Chiefs extended the lead to 2-0 on a goal by Fricker at 9:23 of the first.
Seattle cut the lead to one at 10:49 of the first on Jared Davidson's sixth goal of the season. Payton Mount worked the puck out of the right corner to Jeremy Hanzel at the right point. Hanzel moved along the blue line and put a wrist shot on net. Davidson tipped Hanzel's shot past Spokane goalie Campbell Arnold.
Spokane took a 3-1 lead on a power-play goal from Adam Beckman at 2:28 of the second period.
Davidson set up the T-Birds second goal to cut the Spokane lead to one. Davidson carried the puck into the offensive zone on the right wing and then stopped along the boards in the right circle. Davidson hit Cade McNelly pinching down from the left point with a cross-ice pass. McNelly redirected Davidson's pass over Arnold's right shoulder.
The Chiefs got goals from Blake Swetlikoff, Matt Leduc and a second goal from Beckman to have a 6-2 lead after two periods.
Keltie Jeri-Leon scored his 12th goal of the season to get the T-Birds third goal. Jeri-Leon backhanded the puck past Arnold from on top of the crease at 6:08 of the third period on assists from McNelly and Lucas Ciona.
Beckman and Ben Thornton scored the Chiefs last two goals.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period - 1, Spokane, Zummack 8 (Wiles), 3:48. 2, Spokane, Fricker 2 (McNeil, Reller), 9:23. 3, Seattle, Davidson 6 (Mount, Hanzel), 10:49. Penalties - Lane, Spo (checking from behind), 17:18.
Second period - 4, Spokane, Beckman 13 (Zummack, Russel), 2:28 (pp). 5, Seattle, McNelly 1 (Davidson), 4:37. 6, Spokane, Swetlikoff 4 (Jacobson, Russell), 6:42 (pp). 7, Spokane, Leduc 1 (Larson, Swetlikoff), 8:27. 8, Spokane, Beckman 14, 16:50. Penalties - McNelly, Sea (holding), 2:01. Ciona, Sea (major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 4:22. Chudley, Spo (major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 4:22. Gottfried, Sea (checking to the head), 5:09. Bateman, Sea (roughing), 17:35. Beckman, Spo (roughing), 17:35. Larson, Spo (tripping), 19:07.
Third period - 9, Seattle, Jeri-Leon 12 (McNelly, Ciona), 6:08. 10, Spokane, Beckman 15, 13:24 (sh). 11, Spokane, Thornton 1 (Russell, Wiles), 16:08. Penalties - Chudley, Spo (holding), 12:42. Schaefer, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 14:06.
Shots on goal - Seattle 10-13-5 28, Spokane 9-12-10 31. Goalies - Seattle, Berry 27 shots-21 saves (2-8-0-0), Ratzlaff 4-3 Spokane, Arnold 28-25 (2-4-1-1. Power plays - Seattle 0-3; Spokane 2-4. Referees - Mark Heier, Ian Jendro. Linesmen - Steve Fleming, Casey Schuhmacher.
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