T-Birds Knock Down Giants

Five different T-Birds score in 5-3 win over Vancouver

KENT, February 23, 2016 — The Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Vancouver Giants 5-3 Tuesday night at ShoWare Center.

Seattle (33-23-3-0) is in second place in the US Division and now five points behind the first place Everett Silvertips. The T-Birds moved a point ahead of the Prince George Cougars and are now in fourth place in the Western Conference.

The T-Birds have three games this coming weekend. They are in Tri-City to face the Americans on Friday at 7:05pm. They host the Everett Silvertips on Saturday at 6:05pm at ShoWare Center. They finish out the weekend on Sunday in Kamloops against the Blazers at 6:05pm.

Seattle went in front 1-0 at 5:16 of the first period on a slap shot from Ethan Bear. Donovan Neuls had the puck along the board and passed it to Bear in the high slot. Bear’s slap shot beat Vancouver goalie Ryan Kubic through the legs. Bear has five goals in the last four games and 17 goals on the season.

Vancouver (23-32-5-2) tied the game 1-1 at 13:37 of the first on a power-play goal from Brennan Menell. Trevor Cox and Thomas Foster had the assists.

Seattle outshot Vancouver 8-7 in the first period.

The Giants took a 2-1 lead at 3:34 of the second period on a wrist shot by Alec Baer. Radovan Bondra and Menell had the assists.

Seattle came right back and tied the game 2-2 at 6:08 of the second. Donovan Neuls took a shot from the right circle on the rush that Kubic stopped. Cavin Leth crashed the net on the shot and swept the puck under the goalie for the tying goal. Alexandre True had the second assist.

The T-Birds took a 3-2 lead at 8:27 of the second. Nolan Volcan sent the puck to Keegan Kolesar in the left corner. Kolesar centered the puck to Scott Eansor in the slot. Eansor snapped the puck over Kubic’s blocker for his night goal of the season.

Seattle led 20-18 in shots after two periods.

The Giants tied the game 3-3 on a wrist shot by Tyler Benson from the right circle. The goal was unassisted at 7:50 of the third period.

Turner Ottenbreit put the T-Birds back in front at 8:52 of the third. With the teams playing four-on-four, Ottenbreit pinched down from the left point and took a cross-ice pass from Ryan Gropp. Ottenbreit beat Kubic on the blocker side for his fourth goal of the season.

Jerret Smith scored the T-Birds fifth goal at 13:12 of the third. Smith beat Kubic from the right circle for his ninth goal of the season. True and Neuls had the assists on the goal.

The Giants got a power play with three minutes left in the game and pulled Kubic for a six-on-four power play. Seattle goalie Logan Flodell made several good saves to keep the Giants from the scoring a fourth goal.

Seattle outshot Vancouver 10-4 in the third period and 30-26 in the game.

Flodell made 23 saves on 26 shots and his record is now 19-13-3-0.

Kubic had 25 saves on 30 shots and his record is now 17-21-4-0.

T-Birds single game tickets for the 2015-16 season are available online at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday 10 am to 5 pm Saturday game days at 10 am and Sunday game days at noon.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Bear 17 (Neuls, Leth), 5:16. 2, Vancouver, Menell 7 (Cox, Foster), 13:37 (pp). Penalties – Bondra, Van (hooking), 6:23. Barzal, Sea (hooking), 12:56. Cox, Van (holding), 19:25.

Second period – 3, Seattle, Baer 18 (Bondra, Menell), 3:34. 4, Seattle, Leth 10 (Neuls, True), 6:08. 5, Seattle, Eansor 9 (Kolesar, Volcan), 8:27. Penalties – Allbee, Sea (interference), 11:10.

Third period – 6, Vancouver, Benson 9, 7:50. 7, Seattle, Ottenbreit 4 (Gropp, Barzal), 8:52. 8, Seattle, Smith 9 (True, Neuls), 13:12. Penalties – Smith, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 7:50. Cox, Van (roughing), 7:50. Smith, Sea (hooking), 10:27. Holowko, Sea (holding), 17:00.

Shots on goal – Seattle 8-12-10 30, Vancouver 7-11-8 26. Goalies – Seattle, Flodell 26 shots-23 saves (19-13-3-0); Vancouver, Kubic 30-25 (17-21-4-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-2; Vancouver 1-4. A – 4,648. Referees – Trevor Shively, Mike Langin. Linesmen – Ron Dietterle, Devon Sephton.