T-Birds Blow Past Hurricanes

Andrusiak has hat trick in 7-4 win over Lethbridge

LETHBRIDGE, AB, October 29, 2017 — Zack Andrusiak had a hat trick Sunday night at the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 7-4 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

The game was the T-Birds third on their six-game road trip through the Central Division. The T-Birds are 2-1-0-0 on the trip so far. The three games remaining on the road trip are against the Red Deer Rebels on Wednesday at 6pm, the Edmonton Oil Kings on Thursday at 6pm and the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday at 6:30pm.

Andrusiak had two goals in the second period and one goal in the third period to get the hat trick. His last two goals were both scored on the power play. The T-Birds have two hat tricks this season. Sami Moilanen had a hat trick September 29 in a 5-1 win over Prince George.

Seattle goalie Liam Hughes had 17 saves on 21 shots and his record improves to 3-2-0-0.

Defensemen Jarret Tyszka and Austin Strand each had two assists and Sami Moilanen had a goal and an assist in the win.

Lethbridge (7-6-0-0) went in front 1:33 into the first period on a goal from Ryan Vandervlis. Egor Zudilov and Jordy Bellerive had the assists.

Seattle (7-5-0-1) tied the game 1-1 at 3:32 of the first. Moilanen took a shot from the left circle that rebounded off Lethbridge goalie Reece Klassen into slot. Nolan Volcan snapped the rebound past Klassen on the stick side for his third goal of the season. Tyszka had the second assist.

The Hurricanes took a 2-1 lead at 9:24 of the first. A shot from Tate Olson rebounded off Hughes and over his head and landed in the crease. Josh Tarzwell poked the puck into the net for the go-ahead goal.

Seattle outshot Lethbridge 14-9 in the first period.

The T-Birds took a 3-2 lead with two goals 1:29 apart at the start of the second period.

Donovan Neuls took a pass from Strand to create a three-on-two break for the T-Birds. Neuls beat Klassen with a wrist shot from the left circle at 1:07 of the second to tie the game 2-2.

Moilanen beat Klassen with a backhand at 2:36 of the second to give the T-Birds a 3-2 lead. Andrusiak had the puck behind the Hurricanes net and centered it to Moilanen in the high slot. Moilanen whiffed on his initial shot but got the puck back and put it past a sprawling Klassen.

Andrusiak scored two goals 3:27 apart to give the T-Birds 5-2 lead going into the second intermission.

The Hurricanes were pressing in the T-Birds zone for several minutes before Andrusiak’s first goal. Elijah Brown got a loose puck to Andrusiak who skated up the right wing. Andrusiak skated into the right circle and beat Klassen over the right shoulder with a wrist shot at 12:37.

Andrusiak struck for his second goal at 16:04 on the power play. Reece Harsch passed the puck from the left boards to Turner Ottenbreit at center ice. Ottenbreit crossed the puck to Andrusiak in the right circle. Andrusiak one-timed the pass and beat Klassen over the glove as the goalie slid over to try and make the save.

Seattle outshot Lethbridge 9-4 in the second period and led 23-13 in shots after two periods.

Ottenbreit gave the T-Birds a 6-2 lead at 6:24 of the third period with an unassisted power-play goal. Ottenbreit gloved down a Lethbridge clearing attempt at center ice inside the blue line. Ottenbreit took a slap shot that hit Klassen’s glove and rolled into the net.

Giorgio Estephan scored power-play goal at 9:36 of the third to get the Hurricanes third goal. Olson and Zudilov had the assists.

Vandervlis scored a second goal in the game, at 18:09, to cut the T-Birds lead to two goals. Dylan Cozens and Estephan had the assists.

Andrusiak completed the hat trick at 19:22 of the third. Strand took a shot that rebounded to Andrusiak in the right circle. Andrusiak took a wrist shot that beat Klassen high for his sixth goal of the season. Tyszka had the second assist.

Seattle outshot Lethbridge 9-8 in the third period and 32-21 in the game.

Klassen finished with 25 saves on 32 shots.

The T-Birds next home after the Central Division road trip is Friday, November 10, against the Tri-City Americans at accesso ShoWare Center at 7:35pm.

T-Birds single game tickets for the 2017-18 season are currently on sale online on the T-Birds website and at the accesso ShoWare Center box office.

Season Tickets for the WHL Champion T-Birds 2017-18 season are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Lethbridge, Vandervlis 4 (Zudilov, Bellerive), 1:33. 2, Seattle, Volcan 3 (Moilanen, Tyszka), 3:32. 3, Lethbridge, Tarzwell 1 (Olson), 9:24. Penalties – Bargar, Sea (major-fighting), :08. Franklin, Let (major-fighting), :08. Huo, Sea (interference), 3:57.

Second period – 4, Seattle, Neuls 4 (Strand), 1:07. 5, Seattle, Moilanen 10 (Andrusiak), 2:36. 6, Seattle, Andrusiak 4 (Brown), 12:37. 7, Seattle, Andrusiak 5 (Ottenbreit, Harsch), 16:04 (pp). Penalties – Elmer, Let (cross checking), 6:22. Riddle, Let (slashing), 14:35.

Third period – 8, Seattle, Ottenbreit 1, 6:24 (pp). 9, Lethbridge, Estephan 5 (Olson, Zudilov), 9:36 (pp). 10, Lethbridge, Vandervlis 5 (Cozens, Estephan), 18:09. 11, Seattle, Andrusiak 6 (Strand, Tyszka), 19:22 (pp). Penalties – Joseph, Let (checking from behind), 5:13. Lee, Sea (tripping), 8:18. Strand, Sea (slashing), 14:14. Ottenbreit, Sea (major-fighting), 14:46. Bellerive, Let (major-fighting), 14:46. Olson, Let (slashing), 18:31.

Shots on goal – Seattle 14-9-9 32, Lethbridge 9-4-8 21. Goalies – Seattle, Hughes 21 shots-17 saves (3-2-0-0); Lethbridge, Klassen 32-25 (0-1-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 3-4; Lethbridge 1-3. A – 3,343. Referees – Tyler Adair, Ward Pateman. Linesmen – Aidan Henderson, Matt Schoenroth.