SEATTLE – Chuck Palahniuk scored the tiebreaking goal midway through the third period to lift the Washington Swamp to a 2-1 comeback victory over the Seattle Musicians on Saturday night at the Kingdome.
Palahniuk’s unassisted snap shot found the high corner at 13:17 of the final frame, capping a two-goal third-period rally for Washington. The game-winner came just minutes after defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom had tied the game, beating Seattle goaltender Patrick Roy with a backhand on a rebound at the 2:29 mark.
Lidstrom’s evening was a microcosm of the “heated” atmosphere described by team officials. Earlier in the second period, the Washington captain engaged in a spirited five-minute major fight with Seattle’s Kendall Coyne Schofield. Despite the physical toll, Lidstrom remained a primary catalyst for the Swamp, finishing with four shots and a goal.
Goaltender Linus Torvalds anchored the victory for Washington, turning aside 28 of 29 shots. His performance was essential as Seattle’s Chris Cornell proved to be a constant threat, firing a game-high 12 shots on goal.
Cornell provided the lone tally for the Musicians, breaking a scoreless deadlock at 13:29 of the second period. Capitalizing on a Washington turnover during a forecheck, Cornell blasted a slapshot from the high slot past Torvalds. However, the heavy workload appeared to take its toll late in the game, as Cornell and teammate Jimi Hendrix both showed signs of fatigue during Washington’s late surge.
The Musicians’ defense, led by Doug Harvey and Big L, combined for seven interceptions and two blocks to keep the game tight, but they could not find an equalizer after Palahniuk’s go-ahead strike. Roy finished with 25 saves in a losing effort that saw Seattle outshoot Washington 29-27.
Washington’s Julian Assange was a persistent presence on the ice, recording seven shots and four interceptions, though he also battled fatigue as the Swamp leaned heavily on their top lines to secure the road win.
The victory moves Washington to 1-0 for the 2026 season, while the Musicians (0-1) will look to bounce back after failing to protect their second-period lead. Attendance was a sellout crowd of 17,889.