Portland Flies Past T-Birds
KENT, Wash.- The Seattle Thunderbirds surrendered a goal in the first half minute of play and couldn’t catch up, losing a 5-2 decision to the Portland Winterhawks Saturday at the accesso ShoWare Center. The T-Birds homestand continues next Friday when they host the Calgary Hitmen at 7:05 p.m.
Portland struck on the game’s first shot, twenty seconds in with a snipe from the blue line through a sea of traffic in front of the T-Birds net. “First shift, twenty seconds in, first shot.” said head coach Matt O’Dette. “We’ve got to find ways to be ready to go. It’s clearly an issue.”
Seattle (5-10-1-1) had an opportunity to respond, with three power play chances in the opening period. Instead, the Winterhawks would double their lead with a shorthanded goal and take a 2-0 lead going into the first intermission. Portland extended the lead to three goals, scoring on the man advantage, midway through period two.
“Did we generate some chances,” asked O’Dette. “Yeah, their goalie made some big saves at some key moments. When we got to our strengths, we created some opportunities but not nearly enough. You’ve just got to be hungry to score.”
The Thunderbirds finally got on the board late in the second with Simon Lovsin setting up Kyren Gronick with just forty seconds on the clock. But as time wound down on the period, the T-Birds took another penalty giving Portland the power play to start the third. They would convert at the 1:13 mark to make it a 4-1 game.
The Winterhawks added another goal at 11:25 of the final frame before Seattle would score again, on an Antonio Martorana power play goal at 18:09.
“We didn’t have the juice, the passion,” remarked O’Dette. “It’s a rivalry game. If you can’t get up for those games, that’s concerning.”
T-BIRDS EXTRAS
In two games this season against Portland Seattle is just 1-for-6 on the power play. Meanwhile, over those same two games the Winterhawks power play is 5-for-9 against Seattle.
Kyren Gronick has played two games as a T-Birds since being acquired Thursday from the Vancouver Giants and has three points (2g, 1a).
After missing the first 15 games this season with injury Antonio Martorana has two goals in his first two games.
In the loss T-Birds Braeden Cootes and Matej Pekar saw their five game point streaks come to an end.
Boxscore: Portland Winterhawks at Seattle Thunderbirds – Saturday, November 2, 2024
