Flu doesn’t stop T-Birds from Oct. 30 win in Alberta

Seattle Thunderbirds goalie Kyle Jahraus made 35 saves Oct. 30 to lead the Thunderbirds to a 4-3 victory over the Lethbridge Hurricanes at Enmax Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta.

Six T-Birds were scratches against Lethbridge due to the flu and several players were experiencing flu-like symptoms during the game.

Jahraus was making his start of the season and he made 35 saves on 38 shots to get his first win of the year. His record is 1-0-0-0.

Center Connor Sanvido and defenseman Zach Walker made their T-Birds debut in the game. They were brought in due to the so many T-Birds having the flu. Sanvido was a first round selection and Walker was a fifth round selection in the 2008 Bantam Draft.

Jonathan Parker put the T-Birds in front 20 seconds into the first period. Brad Haber centered the puck from behind the Lethbridge net to Brendan Rouse in the high slot. Rouse moved to his right and then put a backhand shot on goal that Lethbridge goalie Linden Rowat stopped. Haber got the rebound and put a shot on goal that Rowat stopped. Haber’s shot rebounded to Parker to the right of Rowat. Parker poked the puck past Rowat for his seventh goal of the year.

Rowat came out of the game after Parker’s goal with an apparent injury. Rowat was replaced by Brandon Anderson. Rowat faced two shots

Craig Orofino scored for Lethbridge at 7:05 of the first to tie the game 1-1. Cam Braes an Austin Fyten had the assists.

The T-Birds went ahead 2-1 at 9:24 of the first on a four-on-four goal by Mikhail Sentyurin. Erik Fleming had the puck behind the Seattle net and started the breakout by coming up the left side of the ice. Fleming made a cross-ice pass in the neutral zone to Parker streaking down the right side. Parker carried the puck into the Hurricanes zone alone and made a move on Anderson. The Lethbridge goalie made the save but the puck lay in the crease. Sentyurin was chasing after the play and poked the rebound under Anderson for his first career WHL goal.

Both teams had 11 shots on goal in the first period.

Seattle (4-10-0-2) went in front 3-1 on a power-play goal by Rouse at 11:46 of the second period. Jeremy Schappert and Charles Wells had the assists on the goal.

The T-Birds extended the lead to 4-1 with a second power-play goal. Rouse carried the puck from the right boards to the center blue line. Rouse sent a hard pass to Parker in the left circle. Parker put a quick wrist shot on goal that Anderson stopped but the puck lay to the goalie’s right. Haber was on top of the crease and chipped the puck up and over the Lethbridge goalie for his second goal of the season.

Seattle outshot Lethbridge 13-12 in the second period and led 24-23 in total shots after 40 minutes.

Carter Bancks scored 44 seconds into the third period to get the Hurricanes second goal of the game. Mitch Maxwell assisted on goal.

Lethbridge (5-10-0-2) got within one when Maxwell scored a four-on-four at 17:08 of the third. Carter Ashton and Mike Redding had the assists on the goal.

The Hurricanes pulled Anderson with under a minute to play on a power-play for a two-man advantage. They got several shots on goal but Jahraus stood tall and made the saves.

Lethbridge outshot Seattle 15-2 in the third period and 35-26 in the game.

Anderson made 21 saves on 24 shots and his record is now 0-1-0-0.

The T-Birds remain on the road to take on the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. They finish off the six-game road trip on Sunday against the Kootenay Ice at 6 p.m.

Their next home game is Friday, November 6, against the Spokane Chiefs at 7:35 p.m. at ShoWare Center.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Parker 7 (Rouse, Haber), :20. 2, Lethbridge, Orofino 4 (Braes, Fyten), 7:05. 3, Seattle, Dillon 1 (Sentyurin, Parker), 9:24. Penalties – Sbisa, Let (cross checking), 7:43. Tutt, Sea (interference), 9:06. Sutter, Let (hooking), 12:17.

Second period – 4, Seattle, Rouse 2 (Schappert, Wells), 11:46 (pp). 5, Seattle, Haber 2 (Parker, Rouse), 13:31 (pp). Penalties – Ashton, Let (hooking), :21. Walker, Sea (hooking), 7:46. Bench, Let (too many men-served by Tot), 11:33. Maxwell, Let (interference), 12:22.

Third period – 6, Lethbridge, Bancks 5 (Maxwell), :44. 7, Lethbridge, Maxwell 6 (Ashton, Reddington), 17:08. Penalties – Jacobs, Sea (holding), 11:16. Nielsen, Sea (tripping), 14:24. Bancks, Let (tripping), 15:34. Bench, Sea (too many men-served by Tutt), 16:42. Tutt, Sea (hooking), 19:41.

Shots on goal – Seattle 11-13-2 26. Lethbridge 11-12-15 38. Goalies – Seattle, Jahraus 38 shots-35 saves (1-0-0-0); Lethbridge, Rowat 2-1, Anderson 24-21 (0-1-0-0) . Power plays – Seattle 2-6; Lethbridge 0-6. A – 3,244. Referee – Andy Thiessen. Linesmen – Scott Sharun, Cody Rude.