Seattle At Spokane Chiefs

Time: Tonight at 7 in the Arena.

Records: Spokane (19-9-1), Seattle Thunderbirds (8-15-3).

Tickets: $6, $8, $10, $12.

Radio: KGA-AM (1510) 6 p.m. Hockey Tonight with Craig West. Chiefs coach Mike Babcock 6:20.

Key players: Spokane: D Sean Gillam (5 goals, 23 assists), C/RW Jason Podollan (17, 9), C Darren Sinclair (14, 18), C Trent Whitfield (14, 26), RW John Cirjak (13, 13), LW Dmitri Leonov (14, 22), RW Randy Favaro (9, 18), D Hugh Hamilton (4, 24), LW Greg Leeb (19, 10), RW Jay Bertsch (7, 8), GK David Lemanowicz (3.18 goals-against).

Seattle: C Blair Manning (12 goals, 29 assists), C Patrick Marleau (12, 15), GK Doug Bonner (3.97 goals-against), D Michal Divisek (4, 16), C Chris Schmidt (11, 9) C Tyler Perry (9, 15).

At a glance: The T-Birds may have company in the less-than-full-strength club. Seattle comes in minus center Jan Hrdina (knee) and RW Don Tompkins (ankle). The Chiefs may have an even bigger loss. Captain and star D-man Gillam suffered a Monday shoulder injury and sat out Tuesday’s practice. If he can’t go, the hope is that Joel Boschman (ankle) or Ryan Berry (back) can return to the lineup. Although Seattle lost in OT at home to Kamloops Sunday night, the T-Birds are no easy target. “They’re a team on the rise,” Chiefs coach Babcock said. “Manning is outstanding, Schmidt is playing well and Marleau is as good a young player as there is in this league.”

Still, the key is the Seattle ‘keeper, Bonner. If he’s on T-Birds are dangerous. “We’ve struggled in 1-goal games (Seattle has dropped 6 of 7 games decided by a goal),” T-Birds coach Don Nachbaur said. “Hrdina is a 50-goal shooter and Tompkins can score 30-40. You don’t like to make excuses, but we’ve missed them. On the upside, we’ve played young kids in key situations and they’re learning. Reich (Jeremy, 16-year-old left wing) is playing very well.”

, DataTimes