T-Birds Caught in Kelowna
KELOWNA, B.C. –Tai Riley scored his first WHL goal, but the Seattle Thunderbirds could not hold a two-goal lead and lost, 5-3, to the Kelowna Rockets Wednesday at Prospera Place. The Thunderbirds return to the accesso ShoWare Center Saturday to host the Everett Silvertips at 6:05 p.m.
The Thunderbirds built a 3-1 advantage heading into the third period but surrendered four goals over the final twenty minutes, including two on the power play.
“I thought we played a tidy first forty minutes,” head coach Matt O’Dette. “It was the way we needed to play under the circumstances with the long overnight travel. We managed the puck well. We stayed out of the box. We just couldn’t hold them off. Obviously, fatigue in the third period became a factor.”
Seattle (6-12-1-1) got on the board first for the first time in five games when Nathan Pilling potted his team leading 12th of the season, assisted by Braeden Cootes and Simon Lovsin. A T-Birds misplay of the puck around their net in the first 90-seconds of the second period allowed Kelowna to tie it.
The Thunderbirds would respond with a pair of goals to retake the lead. Matej Pekar finished a pass from Coster Dunn at 9:47 for his fifth of the season and Riley got his goal at 18:08. Owen Boucher earned the lone assist.
Third period penalties by the T-Birds gave the Rockets the opportunity to tie it at 3-3 in the first seven minutes of the final period. “Penalties at inopportune times,” remarked O’Dette. “There were only two but we’ve got to find a way to get those killed.”
Another defensive zone misplay of the puck led to the winning Rockets goal. “Fatigue, I think, leads to that,” commented O’Dette as his team played for the second straight night with the long overnight bus ride in between. Meanwhile, Kelowna had been off since the weekend. “Mistakes with the puck we weren’t making in the first two (periods). Whether it was fatigue at that point or mistakes with our decision making that cost us, where our intentions were good, we just couldn’t execute.”
Seattle was outshot 41-20 on the night and managed just five shots in the third period and three of those came in the final minute.
T-BIRDS EXTRAS
The Thunderbirds held leads after the first period and the second period for the first time since October 22nd when they beat the Moose Jaw Warriors 4-1.
With an 0-for-2 effort with the man advantage Wednesday, Seattle has scored just twice on their last 13 power play chances (15.3%).
Will Jamieson and Sawyer Mynio remain out and are both listed as week to week with upper body injuries.
Boxscore: Seattle Thunderbirds at Kelowna Rockets – Wednesday, November 13, 2024
