The Seattle Thunderbirds hadn’t played a game in nine days going into Friday night’s game against the Everett Silvertips at Comcast Arena in Everett.
They showed no rust, getting goals from Justin Hickman, Shea Theodore and Sam McKechnie to defeat the Silvertips 3-2. The T-Birds have now won 10 of their last 11 games and will face the Silvertips at 7:05 p.m. today at the ShoWare Center.
A penalty on the T-Birds with 44 second left in the game gave the Silvertips a two-man advantage with the goalie pulled top try and tie the game. The T-Birds were able to grind the puck in corners to kill time on the clock to secure the win. Seattle goalie Justin Myles made 36 saves on 38 shots to get the win and improve his record to 11-5-0-0.
Seattle (22-10-1-3) took a 1-0 lead five minutes into the first period courtesy of a shorthanded goal from Justin Hickman. Hickman intercepted a point-to-point pass just inside the Seattle blue line and broke down ice on a breakaway against Everett goalie Austin Lotz. Hickman went left and beat Lotz with a backhand shot for his 12th goal of the season.
Everett (22-11-4-0) tied the game 1-1 at 9:57 of the first. Carson Stadnyk beat Myles on the short side off a rush. Stadnyk bowled over Myles after the goal and was given a goaltender interference penalty. The T-Birds were not able to capitalize on the ensuing power play.
The T-Birds took a 2-1 lead when Shea Theodore converted on a 3-on-1 break at 14:16 of the first. Playing four-on-four, Alexander Delnov knocked down an Everett pass from the right corner of the Seattle zone to the right point. He put the puck off the boards and went around the Silvertips defenseman to create two-on-one break with Ryan Gropp on his right. Theodore skated hard to join the play and was rewarded when Delnov passed the puck from the left circle to Theodore. Theodore faked the pass to Gropp getting Lotz to go down and then skated around the goalie and put the puck into an empty net.
Seattle outshot Everett 13-10 in the first period.
The Silvertips tied the game 2-2 on a power-play goal at 7:56 of the second period. Cole MacDonald took a shot that hit the right post and rebounded right to Jujhar Khaira to the right of the goal. Khaira knocked the puck past Myles with a backhand shot.
Sam McKechnie and Seth Swenson teamed up with less than a minute in the second period to put the T-Birds up 3-2. Swenson stole the puck from an Everett forward just inside the Seattle blue line to create a two-on-one break with McKechnie. Swenson gained the Everett zone and made a saucer pass to McKechnie on his left to put him in alone on Lotz. McKechnie faked forehand, brought the puck to his backhand and beat Lotz.
Everett outshot Seattle 15-4 in the second period and led 25-14 in shots after two periods.
The Silvertips outshot the T-Birds 38-21 in the game.
Lotz stopped 18 of 21 shots and his record is now 16-9-1-0.
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, Seattle, Hickman 12, 5:00 (sh). 2, Everett, Stadnyk 12 (Leedahl, Zipp), 9:57. 3, Seattle, Theodore 14 (Delnov), 14:16. Penalties – Henry, Sea (hooking), 3:54. Pufahl, Evt (holding), 6:06. Stadnyk, Evt (goaltender interference), 9:57. Elliot, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 13:14. Adam, Evt (goaltender interference), 13:14. Troock, Sea (hooking), 17:37.
Second period – 4, Everett, Khaira 8 (MacDonald), 7:56 (pp). 5, Seattle, McKechnie 4 (Swenson), 19:27. Penalties – Betker, Evt (holding), :50. Delnov, Sea (tripping), 7:11. Wardley, Sea (major-fighting), 8:26. DeRoose, Evt (major-fighting), 8:26. Theodore, Sea (cross checking), 11:35. Spencer, Sea (hooking), 15:41. Nikolishin, Evt (interference), 16:06.
Third period – No scoring. Penalties – Wharrie, Evt (tripping), 5:00. Eansor, Sea (high-sticking), 19:16.
Shots on goal – Seattle 13-4-4 21, Everett 10-15-13 38. Goalies – Seattle, Myles 38 shots-36 saves (11-5-0-0); Everett, Lotz 21-18 (16-9-1-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-5; Everett 1-6. A – 7,278. Referees – Adam Griffiths, Brett Montsion. Linesmen – Mark Heier, Adam Brastad.
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