The Spokane Chiefs defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 7-3 Monday night at Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane in the first of two games the teams will play this week.

The T-Birds are back in Spokane on Friday for the second game of the two this week. They travel to Kelowna on Wednesday to face the Rockets at 7:05pm at Prospera Place before heading back to Spokane.

Seattle (18-32-1-1) took a 1-0 lead at 5:04 of the first period on Brendan Rouse’s third goal of the year. Connor Honey took shot from the slot that missed the Spokane net wide right. Rouse was in front of Spokane goalie Eric Williams as the puck came off the end boards to the left of the net. Rouse got the puck and slid it under Williams for the goal. Branden Troock had the second assist on the goal.

Spokane (30-16-4-3) tied the game 1-1 on an unassisted breakaway goal by Blake Gal at 5:16 of the first.

The Chiefs went in front 2-1 at 14:19 of the first when Davis Vandane scored. Liam Stewart and Mitch Holmberg had the assists.

The T-Birds tied the game 2-2 at 15:48 of the first on Honey’s fourth goal of the year. Honey blocked a shot at the Seattle blue line, got to the loose puck in the neutral zone and broke up ice on a two-on-one. In the right circle Honey stopped quickly as a Spokane defender was starting to slide by him. Honey put a shot on goal that was blocked by the sliding defender. He got the rebound and snapped the puck over the goalie’s glove for the tying goal.

Brenden Kichton gave the Chiefs a 3-2 led with a power-play goal at 19:37 of the third. Holmber and Kuhn had the assists.

The T-Birds outshot the T-Birds 16-14 in the first period.

The Chiefs outshot the T-Birds 8-4 in the second period and led 22-20 in shots after two periods.

Spokane went in front by two goals when Marek Kalus scored a power-play goal at 1:44 of the third period. Holmberg and Mike Aviani were credited with the assists.

Seattle cut the Spokane lead to one goal at 8:17 of the third when Justin Hickman scored off a scramble in front of Williams. Brad Deagle put a shot on goal that Williams stopped. Dillon Wagner got a stick on the rebound before Hickman pounded the puck past the Spokane goalie.

Darren Kramer put the Chiefs back in front by two goals when he scored at 10:01 of the third. Holmberg and Gal had the assists.

The Chiefs went in front 6-3 when Connor Chartier scored a shorthanded goal at 13:02 of the third. Aviani had the only assist on the goal.

Aviani capped off the scoring when he netted his 10th of the year at 16:37 of the third. Dylan Walchuk had the only assist.

Spokane outshot Seattle 35-34 in the game.

Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard made 28 saves on 35 shots and his record is now 18-27-1-1.

Williams stopped 31 of 34 shots and his record is now 14-17-4-3.

T-Birds single game tickets for the 2011-12 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 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.

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, Rouse 3 (Honey, Troock), 5:04. 2, Spokane, Gal 11, 5:16. 3, Spokane, Vandane 2 (Stewart, Kramer), 14:19. 4, Seattle, Honey 4, 15:48. 5, Spokane, Kichton 13 (Holmberg, Kuhn), 19:37 (pp). Penalties – Fiddler, Spo (hooking), 6:00. Vandane, Spo (holding), 17:33. Theodore, Sea (hooking), 17:42.

Second period – No scoring. Penalties – Kramer, Spo (holding), 3:52.Laroque, Spo (holding), 6:06. Gal, Spo (tripping), 8:56. Gallimore, Sea (slashing), 14:36. Theodore, Sea (delay of game), 19:57.

Third period – 6, Spokane, Kalus 14 (Holmberg, Aviani), 1:44 (pp). 7, Seattle, Hickman 10 (Deagle, Wagner), 8:17. 8, Spokane, Kramer 19 (Holmberg, Gal), 10:01. 9, Spokane, Chartier 4 (Aviani), 13:02 (sh). 10, Spokane, Aviani 10 (Walchuk), 16:38. Penalties – Valcourt, Spo (cross checking), 12:08. Jacobs, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 18:08. Fram, Spo (unsportsmanlike conduct), 18:08. Kramer, Spo (double minor-roughing), 18:43. Hauf, Sea (roughing), 18:43.

Shots on goal – Seattle16-4-14 34. Spokane 14-8-13 35. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 35 shots-28 saves (18-27-1-1); Spokane, Williams 34-31 (14-17-4-3). Power plays – Seattle 0-5; Spokane 2-4. A – 3,506. Referee – Michael Campbell, Jeff Ingram. Linesmen – Jeremi Del Campo, Anthony Guzzo.