T-Birds Skate Past Tri-City
KENT, Wash. – Antonio Martorana and Cameron Schmidt each scored twice as the Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Tri-City Americans, 4-1, Friday at the accesso ShoWare Center. Seattle travels to the Toyota Center in Kennewick for the rematch versus the Americans Saturday. The Thunderbirds are also on the road Monday for a matinee matchup in Langley against the Vancouver Giants.
“A really composed game,” said head coach Matt O’Dette of his team’s second straight win. “We were on our path throughout and you need sixty minute games this time of year. We’ve put together two good games back-to-back and we want to keep that going.”
Seattle (20-23-4-3) got the scoring started with Martorana deflecting in a Joe Gramer point shot at 12:23 of the first period. Coster Dunn had the second assist. The Thunderbirds doubled their lead just 17-seconds into the second period as Schmidt finished a 2-on-1 rush on a pass from Matej Pekar. The second assist went to Matthew Gard.
The Americans lone goal, at 1:59 of period two, cut the T-Birds lead in half but Schmidt’s second of the period, a power play goal at 9:42, restored Seattle’s two goal cushion. Brock England and Gramer had the assists on Schmidt’s league leading 37th goal of the season.
“That was a big one tonight, it restored our two goal lead,” remarked O’Dette of scoring with the man advantage. “We’re chipping away and trying to build some momentum with our power play. The last two games, we’ve had some positive results.”
Martorana closed out the scoring with his second of the game, and 21st of the season, at 11:35 of the third period. Like his first period goal, he was able to redirect in a shot, this one from Grayson Tash. “Two big goals for sure,” he said, describing his tallies. “Going to the net, two great plays by our defensemen there, Gramer and Tasher. Great job by them getting the pucks to the net. I was luck enough to put them in.”
Seattle has picked up five of six points in their last three games, keeping them in the hunt for a playoff spot in the Western Conference. “It’s about us taking care of our own business,” explained O’Dette of the playoff push. “We need wins, we need points and we’re just focusing on what’s in front of us and for us that’s the next game.”
T-BIRD EXTRAS
Joe Gramer has four assists in his last two games while Brock England has a goal and two assists in his last two.
The Thunderbirds are 2-0-0-1 in three games against the Americans this season, earning five of six points in the process.
Grayson Malinoski earned the win in goal with 21 saves and is 2-0-1-0 in his last three starts with a 1.66 GAA and a .943 SVPCT.
Boxscore: Tri-City Americans at Seattle Thunderbirds – Friday, February 13, 2026
