Thunderbirds blast Portland 5-1

For the Reporter

The Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Portland Winterhawks 5-1 in a Western Hockey League game in front of 6,160 fans at the accesso ShoWare Center on Saturday night.

The T-Birds – who finish the regular-season with a 5:05 p.m. game today at Tri-City – will open the playoffs this weekend at I-5 rival Everett. Games 1 and 2 of the first-round, best-of-seven series are Friday and Saturday. The series shifts to Kent for Games 3 and 4 on March 27 and 30.

Seattle (34-27-8-2) earned the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference race. Everett (47-20-2-3) clinched the U.S. Division title.

On Saturday night, Seattle took a 1-0 lead at 3:41 of the first period. Matthew Wedman passed the puck up the right board to Reece Harsch at the right point. Harsch took a slap shot with traffic in front of Portland goalie Cole Kehler. Harsch’s shot beat Kehler low on the glove side for his 10th goal of the season. Sami Moilanen had the second assist.

The T-Birds extended the lead to 2-0 at 15:50 of the first on Austin Strand’s power-play goal. Turner Ottenbreit passed the puck to Donovan Neuls along the right boards. Neuls cut to center ice and found Strand in the left circle. Strand one-timed the pass from Neuls and beat Kehler as the goalie slid over to try and make the save.

Seattle took a 3-0 lead at 15:53 of the second period. Wedman took a shot that Kehler stopped. Turner Ottenbreit crashed the net and jammed the rebound past Kehler for his ninth goal of the season. Nolan Volcan had the second assist.

Portland (44-22-1-4) got on the board at 11:37 of the third period on Henri Jokiharju’s power-play. Kieffer Bellows and Cody Glass had the assists.

Zack Andrusiak scored a power-play goal at 14:20 of the third to put the T-Birds in front 4-1. Andrusiak beat Kehler with a slap shot from the right circle off an assist from Donovan Neuls. Strand had the second assist.

Neuls scored from behind the Portland net at 16:10 to give the T-Birds a 5-1 lead. Neuls took a pass from Dillon Hamaliuk and then banked the puck off Kehler and into the net for his 22nd goal of the year. Andrusiak had the second assist.

Seattle outshot Portland 30-28 in the game.

Seattle goalie Liam Hughes had 27 saves on 28 shots, and his record is 16-12-5-1. Kehler made 25 saves on 30 shots, and his record is 30-16-1-4.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Harsch 10 (Wedman, Moilanen), 3:41. 2, Seattle, Strand 25 (Neuls, Ottenbreit), 15:50 (pp). Penalties – Hamaliuk, Sea (holding), :14. Bellows, Por (slashing), 5:14. Strand, Sea (high-sticking), 5:55. Lee, Sea (tripping), 9:35. Strand, Sea (slashing), 9:58. Hughes, Por (slashing), 9:58. Ludvig, Por (slashing), 12:31. Cholowski, Por (holding), 14:58. McKenzie, Por (boarding), 19:02.

Second period – 3, Seattle, Ottenbreit 9 (Wedman, Volcan), 15:53. Penalties – De Jong, Por (slashing), 1:55. Strand, Sea (slashing), 8:35. Williams, Sea (tripping), 11:27. Hughes, Por (tripping), 17:56.

Third period – 4, Portland, Jokiharju 12 (Bellows, Glass), 11:37 (pp). 5, Seattle, Andrusiak 35 (Neuls, Strand), 14:20 (pp). 6, Seattle, Neuls 22 (Hamaliuk, Andrusiak), 16:10. Penalties – Bellows, Por (delay of game), 1:02. Wedman, Sea (roughing), 7:27. Gilliss, Por (roughing), 7:27. Moilanen, Sea (tripping), 11:50. Overhardt, Por (goaltender interference), 12:14. De Jong, Por (interference), 13:36. Overhardt, Por (10-minute misconduct), 13:36. Kolle, Por (roughing), 18:54. Newkirk, Por (10-minute misconduct), 18:54. Hamaliuk, Sea (roughing), 18:54. Lee, Sea ((10-minute misconduct), 18:54.

Shots on goal – Seattle 9-10-11 30, Portland 12-6-10 28. Goalies – Seattle, Hughes 28 shots-27 saves (16-12-5-1); Portland, Kehler 30-25 (30-16-1-4). Power plays – Seattle 2-9; Portland 1-6. A – 6,150. Referees – Jeff Ingram, Fraser Lawrence. Linesmen – Michael Bear, Nathan Van Oosten.

PLAYOFF GLANCE

Everett vs. Seattle

First-round, best-of-seven series

Game 1 – Seattle at Everett, Friday, March 23, 7:35 p.m.

Game 2 – Seattle at Everett, Saturday, March 24, 7:05 p.m.

Game 3 – Everett at Seattle, Tuesday, March 27 7:05 p.m.

Game 4 – Everett at Seattle, Friday, March 30, 7:35 p.m.

Game 5 – Seattle at Everett, Saturday, March 31, 7:05 p.m.*

Game 6 – Everett at Seattle, Tuesday, April 3, 7:05 p.m.*

Game 7 – Seattle at Everett, Wednesday, April 4, 7:05 p.m.*

*if necessary

Game 3 promotion: Directors Mortgage 2-for-Tuesday game, featuring two-for-one tickets and beers and $2 popcorn, $2 hot dogs and $2 soda.

Game 4 promotion: Fans can purchase 10 tickets for $220 and get two free tickets and $10 worth of free Chuck-a-Pucks. Group ticket special available by calling the T-Birds at 253-239-7825 (PUCK). Not available on game day. They are advance purchase only.

Single-game tickets can be purchased on the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare box office, which is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday game days at noon.