Mathew Barzal scored 35 seconds into overtime to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 3-2 Western Hockey League win over the Everett Silvertips on Saturday night at the ShoWare Center.
Ryan Gropp won a battle along the right boards in Seattle’s zone and got the puck to Barzal in the low right circle. Barzal curled in front of his net and then skated the length of the ice. Barzal stick-handled through an Everett defenseman in the high slot and beat Everett goalie Carter Hart over the blocker with a hard wrist shot.
Barzal had two goals in the game and now has 11 on the season. Gropp had three assists in the game.
Seattle improves their record to 22-14-3-0 and is now two points behind the Silvertips for first place in the U.S. Division.
Seattle goalie Landon Bow made 29 saves to get the win. His record is now 11-14-4-0.
Seattle took a 1-0 lead at 7:10 of the first period. Gropp got the puck out of the left corner to Jared Hauf at the left point. Hauf took a shot that rebounded off Hart into the high slot and right to Keegan Kolesar. Kolesar took a wrist shot and beat Hart low for his 18th goal of the season.
The T-Birds struck at 14:41 of the first to take a 2-0 lead. Ethan Bear passed the puck to Gropp who carried it into the Everett zone on the left wing. Gropp crossed the puck to Barzal skating hard through the top of the slot. Barzal snapped the puck into the top right corner of the net over Hart’s glove for his 10th goal of the season.
Both teams had 10 shots on goal in the first period.
Everett (23-12-1-2) cut the T-Birds lead to 2-1 with 12 seconds left in the second period. Remi Laurencelle scored off assists from Dawson Leedahl and Carson Stadnyk.
The Silvertips outshot the T-Birds 14-12 in the second period and led 24-22 in total shots after two periods.
The Silvertips tied the game at 1:47 of the third period on a goal from Matt Fonteyne. Patrick Bajkov and Kevin Davis had the assists.
Everett outshot Seattle 7-4 in the third period and 31-27 in the game.
Hart stopped 24 of 27 shots and his record is now 22-11-1-2.
The T-Birds play back-to-back games in Prince George against the Cougars on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. They are back at the ShoWare Center on Friday to take on the Regina Pats.
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 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.
Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Kolesar 18 (Hauf, Gropp), 7:10. 2, Seattle, Barzal 10 (Gropp, Bear), 14:41. Penalties – No penalties.
Second period – 3, Everett, Laurencelle 23 (Leedahl, Stadnyk), 19:48. Penalties – Dewar, Evt (slashing), 5:30. Bajkov, Evt (boarding), 14:51.
Third period – 4, Everett, Fonteyne 10 (Bajkov, Davis), 1:47. Penalties – Wedman, Sea (hooking), 7:52. Allbee, Sea (holding), 15:13.
Overtime – 5, Seattle, Barzal 11 (Gropp), :35. Penalties – No penalties.
Shots on goal – Seattle 10-12-4-1 27, Everett 10-14-7-0 31. Goalies – Seattle, Bow 31 shots-29 saves (11-14-4-0); Everett, Hart 27-24 (22-11-1-2). Power plays – Seattle 0-2; Everett 0-2. A – 4,049. Referees – Ryan Benbow, Kyle Kowalski. Linesmen – Al Creigh, Michael McGowan.
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