T-Birds Find Win Column Again
KENT, Wash. –Simon Lovsin scored twice and Marek Sklenicka turned aside 32 shots as the Seattle Thunderbirds ended a seven game winless streak with a 3-1 win over the Wenatchee Wild Tuesday at the accesso ShoWare Center. The Thunderbirds now prepare for their final game before the WHL holiday break Friday at 7:05 p.m. when they host the Kamloops Blazers.
“It’s huge for the team,” remarked head coach Matt O’Dette of ending the slide. “We found a way to get it done. We didn’t have our sixty minute effort we were looking for, the middle period wasn’t so good, but a win’s a win. It’s hard to win in this league so when you do, you savor it. This one was much needed.”
The Thunderbirds (12-14-2-1) opened the scoring with the only goal of the first period, Lovsin’s first of two, and tenth of the season, as he knocked home a rebound off an Ashton Cumby shot.
After outshooting Wenatchee 18-6 in the first period, the T-Birds were back on their heels in the second, outshot 13-5 and having to kill off four Wild power plays, including a lengthy two man advantage. “It was a really good penalty kill, almost a full two minutes,” said O’Dette. “It was Hartsy (Kaleb Hartmann) who got a really big shot block. We needed that. That was a critical moment in the game and we got the job done.”
Four times in their losing streak the T-Birds had the lead going into the third period but couldn’t play add on. They got their add on goal in this game a minute and a half into the period when Coster Dunn scored his 12th of the season on an assist from Brock England.
The Thunderbirds added an insurance goal when Lovsin drove the net and had a Sawyer Mayes shot deflect in off his leg at 14:09. The second assist went to Matej Pekar. “Obviously the two goals were nice,” said Lovsin. “It was a big game for us to get back in the win column. We know what we need to do and going to the net is how you do it.”
Sklenicka lost his shutout bid at 18:45. “He was great,” commented O’Dette on his goalie’s performance. “Several big saves, both on those second period PKs and in the third when we weren’t taking caring of the puck for a stretch. He was there to slam the door.”
T-BIRDS EXTRAS
Lovsin also scored twice in the T-Birds last win on November 26th against Swift Current.
In three home games this season, Seattle outscored the Wild 13-3.
The Thunderbirds now have points in back-to-back games for the first time since November 22nd and 26th.
Once again Seattle played without Hyde Davidson (inj), Braeden Cootes (Team Canada) and Radim Mrtka (Team Czechia).
Boxscore: Wenatchee Wild at Seattle Thunderbirds – Tuesday, December 16, 2025
