T-Birds power past Winterhawks | WHL

The Seattle Thunderbirds and Portland Winterhawks combined for 15 power-play opportunities Sunday night, with each team scoring twice on the man-advantage.

But it was Alexander True’s even-strength goal with 6:20 left in the third period that gave the T-Birds a 3-2 Western Hockey League victory over the Winterhawks at the Moda Center in Portland.

True beat Portland goalie Adin Hill through the legs from the left circle on a partial breakaway. Gustav Olhaver made a nice pass off the boards to spring True on the partial breakaway.

Portland pulled Hill for an extra attacker with just over a minute left in the game. Seattle goalie Logan Flodell made several saves, including one where he had to dive back to his right to cover a loose puck in the crease. Flodell ended the night with 23 saves on 25 shots to get his second victory of the season.

Hill finished the game with 31 saves on 34 shots. His record falls to 1-2-0-0.

This was the first of 12 meetings between the T-Birds and Winterhawks this season.

The T-Birds are back in action against the Kamloops Blazers at ShoWare Center at 7:35 p.m. on Friday. They host the Victoria Royals at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at the ShoWare Center.

Portland (1-4-0-0) took a 1-0 lead at 16:14 of the first period on the power play. Dominic Turgeon took the puck out the right corner and snuck it around Flodell. Keegan Iverson and Jack Dougherty had the assists.

Both teams had nine shots on goal in the first period.

Seattle (3-1-1-0) tied the game 1-1 on a power-play goal from Nolan Volcan at 8:09 of the second period. Jarret Tyszka passed the puck to Jerret Smith at the high point. Smith took a wrist shot that was going left of the Portland net. Volcan redirected the shot under Hill for the tying goal. It was Volcan’s first goal of the season.

The Winterhawks took the lead back at 11:16 of the second on a power-play goal from Iverson. Caleb Jones had the only assist.

The T-Birds tied the game 2-2 at 16:25 of the second with their second power-play goal of the game. Mathew Barzal held the puck in the right circle. Barzal spotted Tyszka pinching down from the left point and hit him with a pass. Tyszka beat Hill high for his second goal of the season. Ryan Gropp had the second assist on the goal.

Portland outshot Seattle 11-9 in the second period and led 20-18 in total shots after two periods.

The T-Birds peppered Hill with 16 shots in the third period while limiting Portland to five shots. Seattle finished with a 34-25 advantage in shots.

Tickets 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.

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

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Portland, Turgeon 1 (Iverson, Dougherty), 16:14 (pp). Penalties – Jones, Por (tripping), 7:02. True, Por (tripping), 7:44. Watson, Sea (roughing), 8:46. Heinrich, Por (roughing), 8:46. Schuldhaus, Sea (tripping), 14:57. Khaira, Sea (hooking), 17:13. Heinrich, Por (tripping), 19:31.

Second period – 2, Seattle, Volcan 1 (Smith, Tyszka), 8:09 (pp). 3, Portland, Iverson 2 (Jones), 11:16 (pp). 4, Seattle, Tyszka 2 (Barzal, Gropp), 16:25 (pp). Penalties – Ottenbreit, Sea (slashing), 5:05. Overhardt, Por (tripping), 7:54. Olhaver, Sea (goaltender interference), 8:51. Eansor, Sea (boarding), 9:25. Holowko, Sea (boarding), 11:55. Glass, Por (hooking), 15:07. Bear, Sea (interference), 17:19. Heinrich, Por (cross checking), 19:23.

Third period – 5, Seattle, True 3 (Olhaver), 13:40. Penalties – Turgeon, Por (checking to the head), 6:23. Barzal, Sea (tripping), 9:45.

Shots on goal – Seattle 9-9-16 34, Portland 9-11-5 25. Goalies – Seattle, Flodell 25 shots-23 saves (2-0-1-0); Portland, Hill 34-31 (1-2-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 2-6; Portland 2-9. A – 6,597. Referees – Chris Crich, Steve Papp. Linesmen – Jacob Hill, Joel Nyberg.