T-Birds down Rebels in shootout | WHL

For the Reporter

The Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Red Deer Rebels 3-2 in a shootout Tuesday night, getting the win before heading out on a 17-day Eastern Conference road trip.

Seattle improves to 7-6-2-1, tied for third in the U.S. Division with 17 points. Red Deer falls to 8-7-1-1 after suffering its first shootout loss of the year.

Taran Kozun got his 14th start of the year and stopped 37 of 39 shots. The win was Kozun’s seventh of the year, putting his record at 7-4-2-1.

Rylan Toth, who had 31 saves, took the loss.

Justin Hickman scored the only goal of the shootout for Seattle. Hickman drove wide and cut back in before pushing the puck past Toth.

Kozun stopped all three Red Deer shooters to wrap up the victory.

Hickman opened the scoring for Seattle at 15:45. An extended offensive zone possession for the T-Birds saw Hickman end up with the puck in the corner. Hickman skated back up to the top of the faceoff circle, dogged the entire way by a Rebel defenseman. The T-Bird captain was able to get a shot off from there that beat Toth to make it 1-0. Mathew Barzal and Turner Ottenbreit had the assists on the goal.

Hickman got his second goal of the game at 1:46 on the power play, making it 2-0. Ethan Bear faked a shot from the point and skate deep into the zone. The defenseman’s shot was fought off by Toth but went straight onto Hickman’s stick, where the captain buried it with ease. Jerret Smith had the secondary assist on the goal.

Red Deer tied the game and sent it into overtime.

The Rebels’ Devan Fafard came within inches of ending the game with a minute left in overtime. Fafard received a pass at the bottom of the faceoff circle and got his shot off before Kozun could make it across the crease. Fafard’s shot went wide, however, ending the threat and sending the game to a shootout.

Shots in overtime were 3-1 Seattle despite Red Deer winning all three faceoffs.

On the road

The T-Birds leave for their Eastern Conference road trip this week, heading to Prince Albert to take on the Raiders at 5 p.m. Friday. Seattle plays the Saskatoon Blades at 5:50 p.m. Saturday.

The next home game for the T-Birds comes on Friday, Nov. 21 against the Spokane Chiefs. Faceoff is 7:35 pm.

Tickets

Single-game tickets are available online at the T-Birds website at www.seattlethunderbirds.com 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.

Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Hickman 3 (Barzal, Ottenbreit), 15:45. Penalties – Osterman, Seattle (major-fighting), 2:21. Nell, Red Deer (major-fighting), 2:21. Fleury, Red Deer (tripping), 2:59. Hauf, Seattle (major-fighting), 7:06. Musil, Red Deer (major-fighting), 7:06. Osterman, Seattle (major-fighting), 10:08. Feser, Red Deer (major-fighting, holding), 10:08. Kolesar, Seattle (major-fighting, roughing), 11:14. Fafard, Red Deer (major-fighting), 11:14. Hickman, Seattle (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:55. Fleury, Red Deer (unsportsmanlike conduct), 15:55. Pederson, Seattle (hooking), 17:21.

Second period – 2, Seattle, Hickman 4 (Bear, Smith), 1:46 (pp). 3, Red Deer, Musil 7 (Strand), 3:17. Penalties – Cote, Red Deer (holding), 1:11. Hauf, Seattle (major-fighting), 2:35. Bleackley, Red Deer (major-fighting), 2:35. Bear, Seattle (tripping), 4:09. Wardley, Seattle (kneeing), 4:37. Barzal, Seattle (unsportsmanlike conduct), 8:04.

Third period – 4, Red Deer, Maxwell 4 (unassisted), 4:49 (sh). Penalties – Polei, Red Deer (high-sticking), 4:10.

Overtime – No scoring. Penalties – No penalties.

Shootout – Seattle 1 (Pederson NG, Hickman G, Gropp NG). Red Deer 0 (Bleackley NG, Nell NG, Sandhu NG).

Shots on goal – Seattle 14-8-8-3-1 34, Red Deer 12-9-17-1-0 39. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 39 shots-37 saves (7-4-2-1); Red Deer, Toth 33-31 (7-5-1-1). Power plays – Seattle 1-4; Red Deer 0-5. A – 4,031. Referees – Brett Iverson, Mark Pearce. Linesmen – Aaron Mills, Tyler Hawthorne.