BY TODD DYBAS / SEATTLESPORTSONLINE.COM

KENT -- It's the ongoing battle around Seattle: traffic.

Most loathe it, the T-Birds are trying to create.

Stymied again by Spokane goalie Dustin Tokarski, Seattle fell 3-2 Wednesday night to the Chiefs. Spokane carries a 3-1 series lead back east, game five set for Saturday.

If the T-Birds expect to skate on home ice again this season, blinding Tokarski will be essential.

"If he sees it, he's going to get it," T-Birds coach Rob Sumner said.

A shot he didn't see Wednesday came off the stick of Seattle defenseman Jeremy Schappert. The goal yanked Seattle in front 2-1, both scores coming in the first seven minutes of play. Signs of life after a dismal outing in Game 3.

"We didn't come to play (Tuesday)," Schappert said. "I thought we were better tonight. It was a tight game, it's going to be a tight series."

Schappert was able to settle a rolling puck and throw it at Tokarski. It went through clean, energizing the T-Birds, a jolt that prompted an increase in hitting.

That's a necessity for Seattle in this series, after all. While Spokane plays with an even demeanor and approach, the T-Birds want to bang them around, creating chaos opposed to control.

While hits were up Wednesday, chances were, too. Seattle's shot total took a slight dip from Tuesday to Wednesday, but the T-Birds had much better opportunities in Game 4. They just weren't able to push enough of them past the defending WHL champions.

Whenever Seattle had a clean chance Wednesday, Spokane's 19-year-old goalie was able to make the stop. The T-Birds want to throw as many shots at Tokarski as possible, attempting to create rebounds and what Sumner called "unpredictable pucks." After all, you have to try and up your chances against a guy with a league-leading 1.97 goals against average.

That approach brought the Seattle's first goal, the T-Birds getting four cracks a Tokarski before Jim O'Brien was able to bang it through at 4:18. Schappert's goal three minutes later gave them a short-lived lead. Spokane's Tyler Johnson squared things at two at 9:22 of the first period.

But special teams bit the T-Birds again, Spokane's Ondrej Roman scoring the go-ahead goal during the man-advantage in the second period.

"It was a little too easy," Sumner said of the goal. "Down low they had the most dangerous guy, we relaxed on him a little too much and they made us pay."

It's an ongoing theme in the series. Spokane able to stay calm, dump the puck and grind the corners. Seattle preferring to push out of their zone or pinch in Spokane's, getting caught in the wrong place. No matter the situation, Spokane just continues the steady pace punishing Seattle for any dalliance.

Spokane's steadiness is both a benefit and detriment for Seattle. Knowing what Spokane is going to do, then countering it are different things.

"They don't change, they just play," Sumner said. "They're maturity shows and they're experience shows. The good news is we know what we're up against next game."

That comes Saturday at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where Seattle is 3-3 this season after a split in the first two games of this series. The T-Birds are down to their final 60 minutes if something doesn't change fast.

"All games you want to win, but we're in a position of must-win," Sumner said. "Desperation, survival. We're going to have to go into that mode."

Todd Dybas is the editor of Seattle Sports Online. He can be reached via e-mail at tdybas@seattlesportsonline.com.