The Seattle Thunderbirds picked up a critical two points in the Western Conference playoff standings with a 3-2 overtime victory over the Chilliwack Bruins March 11.
Burke Gallimore provided the heroics with his second consecutive overtime game-winner to seal the victory in front of 4,884 at the ShoWare Center. With the T-Birds on the power-play, Brenden Dillon controlled the puck at the point in the center of the Bruins’ zone. Dillon sent a pass to Marcel Noebels, who was waiting in the right circle. Noebels immediately sent a cross-ice pass to Gallimore, who fired a rocket that went top shelf into the Chilliwack net for his 32nd goal of the season.
In other action Friday night, the Kamloops Blazers fell to the Kelowna Rockets 5-1 and the Portland Winterhawks defeated the Everett Silvertips 6-3. The T-Birds, who have 61 points, now stand one point behind Kamloops for ninth place in the Western Conference and three points behind the Prince George Cougars, who defeated the Vancouver Giants 8-0 tonight and hold the eighth and final playoff spot. Everett, with 65 points, stands in seventh place and is four points ahead of the T-Birds.
The Bruins opened the scoring on the power-play at 9:59 of the first period on Robin Soudek’s 22nd goal of the season. Roman Horak and Brandon Manning registered assists on the goal.
Seattle (26-32-4-5) tied it less than a minute later at 10:35 of the first on Tyler Alos’ fourth goal of the season. After a Travis Bobbee slap shot from the right point, the rebound bounced out to Alos, who was waiting to the left of Chilliwack goalie Lucas Gore. With some slick stick handling, Alos was able to skate between a sprawling Gore and the Bruin net and slide the puck into the back of the goal to tie the score 1-1.
The T-Birds took a 2-1 lead at 17:26 of the first on a power-play goal by Colin Jacobs. After a Bobbee pass found its way to Jacobs to the right of the Chilliwack net, Jacobs faked as though he was going to take the puck around the back of the net. Gore reacted to the fake and was unable to recover as Jacobs cut quickly to the side of the net and put a wrist shot into the opposite side of the net. Travis Toomey also assisted on Jacobs’ 21st goal of the season.
Seattle outshot Chilliwack 22-8 through the first 20 minutes.
Chilliwack (31-30-3-3) tied the game 2-2 at 17:14 of the second period on Dylen McKinlay’s sixth goal of the season. Mitch Topping and Jesse Einhorn assisted on the goal.
The T-Birds outshot the Bruins 18-8 during the second period, extending their overall shot advantage to 40-16 through 40 minutes.
During a scoreless third period, Seattle outshot Chilliwack 13-9, leaving them with a 54-25 shot advantage at the end of regulation.
T-Birds single game tickets for the 2010-11 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 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.
T-Birds group tickets are currently on sale. Group tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Chilliwack, Soudek 22 (Horak, Manning), 9:59 (pp). 2, Seattle, Alos 4 (Bobbee), 10:35. 3, Seattle, Jacobs 21 (Bobbee, Toomey), 17:26 (pp). Penalties – Bonsor, Sea (tripping), 1:15. Doty, Sea (high-sticking), 8:52. Soudek, Cwk (interference), 12:21. Stahl, Cwk (roughing), 15:51.
Second period – 4, Chilliwack, McKinlay 6 (Topping, Einhorn), 17:14. Penalties – Zgraggen, Cwk (checking from behind), 4:13. Wentworth, Cwk (boarding), 8:28. Toomey, Sea (slashing), 10:05. Dillon, Sea (cross-checking), 17:08. Howse, Cwk (elbowing), 17:08. Stahl, Cwk (cross-checking), 18:39.
Third period – No scoring. Penalties – Stahl, Cwk (interference), 0:45.
Overtime – 5, Seattle, Gallimore 32 (Noebels, Dillon), 1:31 (pp). Penalties – Howse, Cwk (slashing), 0:09. Toomey, Sea (roughing), 0:37. Manning, Cwk (roughing), 0:37.
Shots on goal – Seattle 22-18-13-4 58. Chilliwack 8-8-9-0 25. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 25 shots-23 saves (26-30-3-5); Chilliwack, Gore 58-55 (29-22-3-3). Power plays – Seattle 2-7; Chilliwack 1-3. A – 4,884. Referee – Shane Warschaw, Colby Smith. Linesmen – Justin Hull, Clayton Richardson.
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