T-Birds Chop Down the Giants
KENT, Wash. – Braeden Cootes scored twice and added four assists as the Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Vancouver Giants, 7-3, Saturday at the accesso ShoWare Center. The six points was a single game career best for the Thunderbirds captain. Game two of Seattle’s six game homestand is Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. when they host the Wenatchee Wild.
Cootes got Seattle (7-8-1-0) off and running with a power play goal at 7:29 of the first period, his fourth of the season. “It was a good game from the guys tonight,” said Cootes of the winning effort. “Pucks were going in for us, (we were) making plays. I was playing with a lot of good players tonight, so it made my night easy.”
The Thunderbirds jumped out to a five goal lead after forty minutes thanks to a four goal second period, starting with Ashton Cumby’s first of the season at 7:02. “We had a nice bounce back win from last night (4-2 loss in Penticton),” remarked Cumby. “It was nice to help the boys win with a goal and contribute points wise.”
Antonio Martorana’s team leading 9th of the season made it 3-0 at 9:39 and Matej Pekar got in on the act with a power play goal three minutes later. With the clock ticking down on the second period, Simon Lovsin deflected in a Tai Riley shot at 19:58.
Vancouver made a game of it, scoring twice in the first six minutes of the third period to cut the T-Birds lead to 5-2, but Seattle responded with Lovsin’s second of the night at the 7:11 mark.
“A big highlight for me was the sixth goal,” said head coach Matt O’Dette. “They had just scored. We were leaking oil a little bit at the time, and right off the face off we got one deep and got in on the forecheck. Cootsy found Lovy in the slot for a big goal and that kind of got the momentum back in our favor.”
The Giants scored again at 11:12 but Cootes ended the suspense with his second of the night into an empty net at 17:23. Marek Sklenicka picked up his fifth win of the season with a 25 save effort.
T-BIRDS EXTRAS
The T-Birds improved to 5-2-1- on home ice.
Seattle finished the night 2-of-6 on the power play ending an 0-for-13 drought with the man advantage.
Coster Dunn’s assist on the T-Birds first goal was his 100th point in the WHL, all with the Thunderbirds.
Brock England wraps up play this weekend at the U17 Hockey Challenge and will rejoin the T-Birds next week.
Boxscore: Vancouver Giants at Seattle Thunderbirds – Saturday, November 8, 2025
