T-Birds Get it Dunn in Portland
KENT, Wash. – Coster Dunn’s shorthanded goal broke a late tie and the Seattle Thunderbirds edged the Portland Winterhawks, 4-3, Saturday at the Veteran Memorial Coliseum. The win moves the Thunderbirds into a tie for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Seattle returns home to the accesso ShoWare Center Tuesday to host the Kelowna Rockets. Game time is 7:05 p.m.
“A really good effort from the guys,” remarked head coach Matt O’Dette as his team bounced back from the 9-1 loss the night before. “Last night (Friday) was a very disappointing game, not indicative of the way we’ve been playing as of late. We challenged the guys to show their character and respond tonight and they did.”
Seattle (19-28-2-1) opened the scoring with Matej Pekar’s eleventh of the season at 5:10 of the first period, assisted by Radim Mrtka and Kaleb Hartmann. Portland would tie it at 13:07.
The T-Birds regained the lead when Nathan Pilling scored his team-leading 22nd of the season at 5:09 of period two. Mrtka earned his second assist along with Braeden Cootes. The Winterhawks answered at 10:44 with a power play goal and the teams headed to the third period even.
Mrtka gave Seattle the lead back with a power play goal at 6:15. Pilling and Antonio Martorana were credited with the helpers. Once again Portland responded at 13:14 to tie the game at 3-3.
The T-Birds were then assessed an after-the-whistle roughing minor at with five minutes left, putting the Winterhawks potent power play back on the ice. But Dunn forced a turnover in the Portland zone and he and Sam Charko worked the puck into the Portland crease where Dunn smacked home his 18th of the season.
“Obviously a critical moment, not to just get the kill, but to score shorthanded,” said O’Dette of the Dunn game winner. “Dunner and Charks working really hard. You never know which special teams play is gonna be the difference in the game. We got the power play from Mrtks and the shorty from Dunn and that’s the difference.”
T-BIRDS EXTRAS
This was the first of seven games remaining on the schedule between Seattle and Portland. Six of the T-Birds final 18 regular season games will be against the Winterhawks including a pair next weekend.
The Thunderbirds were once again without defensemen Hyde Davidson and Jaxson Pawlenchuk who are out week-to-week with upper body injuries. Seattle was also playing without winger Simon Lovsin, who served out a one game suspension after being assessed a charging major and game misconduct Friday night versus Spokane. Meanwhile Brayden Schuurman was out of the lineup due to illness.
“When you’re missing guys, others get the opportunity to play and contribute,” explained O’Dette. “I thought our guys did that. Missing a couple of key guys, it has to be that next man up mentality.”
The win was Seattle’s first on the road this season against a U.S. Division opponent.
Boxscore: Seattle Thunderbirds at Portland Winterhawks – Saturday, February 8, 2025
