SEATTLE – Nate Thompson scored two goals and Bryan Bridges picked up his league-leading 12th shutout of the season to help the Seattle Thunderbirds beat the Spokane Chiefs 6-0.

Scott Jackson, Denis Tolpeko,Tyler Metcalfe and Thomas Hickey also scored for the U.S. Division champion T-birds (42-22-2-2).

The loss keeps Spokane (24-34-8-2) two points behind the Tri-City Americans for the fourth and final playoff spot in the U.S. Division. The Chiefs have three games remaining in the regular season.

The Chiefs close the regular season with a home game against Portland on Wednesday and a weekend home-and-home series with Kootenay (Friday at Cranbrook, B.C., Saturday at home).

Tri-City has four games left.

Bridges, is now one shutout behind Kelly Guard, who set the single-season WHL record with 13 shutouts last season. Bridges stopped 28 shots by Spokane.

Thunderbirds 6, Chiefs 0

Spokane	0	0	0	–	0
Seattle	1	3	2	–	6

First Period–1, Seattle, Jackson (Tolpeko, Durand), 2:04.

Second Period–2, Seattle, Tolpeko (Fecho, Durand), 1:55. 3, Seattle, Metcalfe (Thompson, Barthel), 10:24. 4, Seattle, Thompson, 12:34.

Third Period–5, Seattle, Thompson (Metcalfe, Holloway), 0:31. 6, Seattle, Hickey (Gibbons, Tolpeko), 18:17.

Power-play Opportunities–Spokane 0 of 4; Seattle 0 of 4. Saves–Spokane, Watt 11-12-3–26. Seattle, Bridges 10-6-12–28. A–4,347.