Winterhawks end T-Birds’ win streak at 8 games | WHL

The Portland Winterhawks defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-3 Saturday night at the Memorial Coliseum in Portland, snapping the T-Birds eight game win streak.

The T-Birds face the Tri-City Americans at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at the ShoWare Center. This is the last game before the break for the holidays. The T-Birds’ first game after the break will be at the Everett Silvertips at 7:35 p.m. Dec. 27 at Comcast Arena in Everett.

At Portland, due to injuries and a player away at holiday tournaments, the T-Birds dressed 16 skaters, two under the maximum. They held a 2-1 lead entering the third period but a hat trick by Portland’s Paul Bittner in the third led the Winterhawks to victory.

This was the second game of a home-and-home series between the teams. The T-Birds won 3-2 Friday night at Kent.

Seattle (20-10-1-3) took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Adam Henry at 10:56 of the first period. Ryan Gropp had the puck along the right boards and passed it low to Alexander Delnov on the goal line to the right of the goal. Delnov skated towards the net and then crossed the puck through the crease to Henry sneaking down from the left point. Henry had a wide open net to shoot at and got his fourth goal of the season.

The T-Birds extended the lead to 2-0 at 14:16 of the first on Scott Eansor’s first goal as a T-Bird. Eansor intercepted a Portland clearing pass in between the tops of the face off circles in the Portland zone. Eansor had Branden Troock on his right and a clear path to Portland net. Eansor passed the puck to Troock and charged towards the net. Troock held the puck forcing Portland goalie Brendan Burke down and then crossed to Eansor. Eansor had the whole net and slapped the puck past a lunging Burke.

Portland (23-7-2-2) outshot Seattle 9-8 in the first period.

The Winterhawks cut the T-Birds’ lead to one goal at 4:43 of the second period on a goal from Keoni Texeira. There was an estimated 17-minute delay after the goal as it was the Winterhawks Teddy Bear Toss night. Fans threw teddy bears and other stuffed animals on the ice after Portland’s first goal.

The Winterhawks outshot the T-Birds 18-10 in the second period and led 27-18 in shots after two periods.

Portland tied the game 2-2 14 seconds into the third period on a power-play goal from Bittner. Garret Haar and Chase De Leo had the assists.

Brendan Leipsic was called for a checking to the head major at 9:12 of the third for hitting Keegan Kolesar in the head. But the T-Birds took two penalties while on the five-minute advantage to give the Winterhawks a power play. The Winterhawks capitalized when Bittner scored at 10:30 of the third. Haar and De Leo had the assists.

Seattle cut the Portland lead to one goal at 15:09 of the third on Henry’s second goal of the game. Henry skated down the left wing, cut towards the goal and beat Burke with a wrist shot. Troock and Mitch Elliot were credited with the assists.

Bittner iced the game for the Winterhawks with an empty-net goal at 18:57 of the third. De Leo had the only assist.

Portland outshot Seattle 12-8 in the third period and 39-26 in the game.

Myles made 34 saves on 28 shots and his record is now 10-5-0-0.

Burke stopped 23 of 26 shots and his record is 20-6-2-2.

Tickets

Game tickets 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 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, Henry 4 (Delnov, Gropp), 10:53 (pp). 2, Seattle, Eansor 1 (Troock), 14:16. Penalties – Hanson, Por (interference), :28. De Champlain, Por (checking from behind), 6:35. Iverson, Por (high-sticking), 10:44. Wardley, Sea (interference), 18:11.

Second period – 3, Portland, Texeira (Haar), 4:43. Penalties – Spencer, Sea (holding), 9:34. Hauf, Sea (interference), 10:38. McColgan, Por (embellishment), 10:38. Schoenborn, Por (roughing), 11:15. Theodore, Sea (tripping), 13:00. Hanson, Por (cross checking), 16:24. Wardley, Sea (double minor-roughing), 18:23. Leipsic, Por (roughing), 18:23.

Third period – 4, Portland, Bittner 7 (Haar, De Leo), :14. 5, Portland, Bittner 8 (Haar, De Leo),10:30 (pp). 6, Portland, Iverson 9 (Schoenborn, Texeira), 14:10. 7, Seattle, Henry 5 (Troock, Elliot), 15:09. 8, Portland, Bittner 9 (), 18:57. Penalties – Schoenborn, Por (cross checking), :36. Greer, Por (holding), 3:46. Gropp, Sea (high-sticking), 4:26. De Champlain, Por (slashing), 4:26. Rossignol, Por (hooking), 4:55. Hickman, Sea (goaltender interference), 5:56. Leipsic, Por (major-checking to the head, game misconduct), 9:12. Troock, Sea (slashing), 9:19. Eansor, Sea (tripping), 10:08. Theodore, Sea (holding), 12:48. Delnov, Sea (high sticking, unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:50. Hauf, Sea (10-minute misconduct), 19:50. Rossignol, Por (10-minute misconduct),19:50. Wardley, Sea (10-minute misconduct), 19:50.

Shots on goal – Seattle 8-10-8 26, Portland 9-18-12 39. Goalies – Seattle, Myles 38 shots-34 saves (10-5-0-0); Portland, Burke 26-23 (20-6-2-2). Power plays – Seattle 1-9; Portland 2-7. A – 10,109. Referees – Ryan Benbow, Mike Campbell. Linesmen – Tim Digby, Ryan Gibbons.