T-Birds Skate Past Winterhawks

Leth has goal and assist, Bow makes 24 saves in 3-1 win over Portland

KENT, January 8, 2016 — Cavin Leth had a goal and an assist and Landon Bow made 24 saves Friday to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 3-1 win over the Portland Winterhawks at ShoWare Center.

Leth and Bow were both acquired from the Swift Current Broncos earlier in the week in trades.

Defenseman Bryan Allbee also made his T-Bird debut Friday night. Allbee was acquired in a trade with the Kootenay Ice earlier in the week.

The T-Birds play the Everett Silvertips Saturday at ShoWare Center at 7:05pm. The Silvertips are in first place in the US Division, three points ahead of the T-Birds.

Seattle (21-14-3-0) took a 1-0 lead at 13:38 of the first period on Ethan Bear’s 12th goal of the season. Donovan Neuls won a puck battle in the left corner and got the puck to Alexander True in the left circle. True backhanded the puck to Turner Ottenbreit at the left point. Ottenbreit crossed the puck to Bear at the right point. Bear beat Portland goalie Adin Hill with a slap shot with traffic in front of Hill.

Seattle outshot Portland 9-4 in the first period.

The T-Birds went in front on Nolan Volcan’s 10th goal of the season at 11:14 of the second period. Cavin Leth chipped the puck off the right boards from the Seattle zone to neutral zone. Volcan got the puck for a breakaway. Volcan skated towards the goalie and beat him over the glove. Jerret Smith had the second assist on the goal.
 
Leth made it a 3-0 lead at 14:07 of the second. Jared Hauf started a break up ice with a crisp pass to Smith at the Seattle blue line. Smith carried the puck into the Portland zone on a three-on-two with Scott Eansor and Leth. Smith took a shot from the top of the right circle. Hill kicked the shot with right pad right to Leth coming down the slot. Leth whipped the puck past a diving Smith for his seventh goal of the season.

The T-Birds led 20-14 in shots after two periods by outshooting Portland 11-10 in the second period.
Portland (20-18-1-0) cut the led to two goals at 3:25 of the third period on a goal from Colton Veloso. Brett Clayton and Caleb Jones had the assists.

Portland increased the pressure after their first goal forcing Bow to make several good saves. The T-Birds also had to kill off back-to-back Portland power plays midway through the third period.

Portland pulled Hill for an extra attacker with 1:24 left in the game. The T-Bird were able to keep the Winterhawks at bay and preserve the victory.

The Winterhawks outshot the T-Birds 11-7 in the third period. The T-Birds finished with a 27-25 advantage in shots.

Bow finished with 24 saves on 25 shots and his record is now 10-14-4-0.

Hill had 24 saves on 27 shots and his record is now 18-15-0-0.

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.

T-Birds season tickets are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Bear 12 (Ottenbreit, True), 13:38. Penalties – Bukarts, Por (hooking), 5:00. Eansor, Sea (roughing), 16:11. McKenzie, Por (hooking), 19:14.

Second period – 2, Seattle, Volcan 10 (Leth, Smith), 11:14. 3, Seattle, Leth 7 (Smith, Hauf), 14:07. Penalties – Weinger, Por (roughing), 12:43. Kolesar, Sea (checking from behind), 13:46

Third period – 4, Portland, Veloso 9 (Clayton, Jones), 3:25. Penalties – Hauf, Sea (tripping), 10:05. Ottenbreit, Sea (delay of game), 12:01. Volcan, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:20. Heinrich, Por (roughing), 15:20.

Shots on goal – Seattle 9-11-7 27, Portland 4-10-11 25. Goalies – Seattle, Bow 25 shots-24 saves (10-14-4-0); Portland, Hill 27-24 (18-15-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-4; Portland 0-3. A – 4,130. Referees – Tyler Adair, Adam Griffiths. Linesmen – Zach Brooks, Nathan Van Oosten.