T-Birds Tame Cougars
T-BIRDS TAME COUGARS
Wells has two goals and assist in 4-1 win over Prince George
KENT — Charles Wells had two goals and an assist Saturday night at ShoWare Center to help lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 4-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars.
The T-Birds (14-23-2-4) scored at 4:19 of the first period with their first shot of the game. Defenseman Jeremy Schappert fed the puck along the half wall to Charles Wells who was skating through the neutral zone. Wells momentarily lost his balance but was able to recover at the blue line and skate in on net. Wells fired a wrist shot that beat Cougars’ goalie Luke Siemens over the glove for his 11th goal of the season.
Prab Rai netted his 24th goal of the season at 7:31 of the first. Wells controlled the puck from left to right behind the Prince George goal and fed a backhand pass to Rai cutting through the slot. Rai gained control of the puck just outside the crease and was able to beat Siemens five hole with a quick wrist shot to give the T-Birds a 2-0 lead.
The T-Birds outshot the Cougars 10-3 in the first period.
Prince George (9-32-1-1) cut the lead to 2-1 with Bruin MacDonald’s second goal of the season at 9:15 of the second period. Kurt Torbohm and Marek Viedensky earned the assists.
Burke Gallimore scored his first goal as a T-Bird and 13th of the season to give Seattle a 3-1 lead at 10:52 of the second period. Gallimore carried the puck in on net from the left circle, deked right and snapped a shot across his body that beat Siemens five hole. Schappert picked up the lone assist on the goal.
Gallimore was acquired from the Saskatoon Blades on Friday afternoon in exchange for Sena Acolatse.
The Cougars outshot the T-Birds 19-12 in the second period and both teams had 22 shots on goal through 40 minutes of play.
Wells put the T-Birds in front 4-1 at 7:43 of the third period with his second goal of the game. Wells had the puck in the right circle and attempted a slap pass to Lindsay Nielsen in the slot. Wells pass deflected off a Cougars defender and past Siemens. Schappert had the only assist on the goal.
The Cougars outshot the T-Birds 10-6 in the third period and 32-28 in the game.
Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard made 31 saves on 32 shots and his record is now 12-19-2-4.
Siemens made 24 saves on 28 shots.
The T-Birds next game is Wednesday, January 13, in Kennewick against Tri-City Americans at 7:05 p.m.
For photos of this game go to Washington Prep Sports.
T-Birds single game tickets for the 2009-10 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 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.
T-Birds Group tickets are currently on sale. Group tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period –1, Seattle, Wells 11 (Schappert), 4:19. 2, Seattle, Rai 24 (Wells), 7:31.
Penalties – Jacobs, Sea (interference), 11:14. Bidlevskii, PG (holding), 13:33.
Second period – 3, Prince George, MacDonald (Torbohm, Viedensky), 9:15. 4, Seattle, Gallimore 13 (Schappert), 10:52. Penalties – > Jacobs, Sea (major- boarding, game misconduct), 4:35. Gibb, PG (delay of game), 11:54. Ramsay, Sea (holding), 15:24. Rouse, Sea (tripping), 18:50.
Third period – 5, Seattle, Wells 12 (Schappert), 7:43. Penalties – Bounassisi, PG (unsportsmanlike conduct), 20:00.
Shots on goal – Seattle 10-12-6 28. Prince George 3-19-10 32. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 32 shots-31 saves (12-19-2-4); Prince George, Siemens 28-24. Power plays – Seattle 0-2; Prince George 1-4. A – 4,044. Referee – Graham Skilliter. Linesmen – Clayton Richardson, Ron Dietterle.
