For the Reporter
The Portland Winterhawks defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 8-3 in Western Hockey League play at the Moda Center on the Friday.
Despite the loss, the T-Birds (33-27-8-2) clinched the second wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference, seven points behind (37-24-8-1) after the Americans defeated the Spokane Chiefs on Friday night. The T-Birds and Americans each have two games remaining in the regular season.
The second wild-card playoff team will play the champion of the U.S. Division in the first round of the playoffs. The Everett Silvertips lead the Winterhawks by four points for the division championship. The Silvertips have one game remaining in the regular season, the Winterhawks have two.
On Friday night, Seattle took a 1-0 lead at 17:44 of the first period. Reece Harsch took a wrist shot with Nolan Volcan standing in front of Portland goalie Cole Kehler. Harsch’s shot hit Volcan and dropped to the ice. Volcan put the loose puck on goal and Kehler made a right pad save. Volcan knocked the rebound past Kehler’s outstretched right leg for his 32nd goal of the season.
Portland (44-21-1-4) tied the game 1-1 at 4:46 on a slap shot goal from Henri Jokiharju. Cody Glass and Skyler McKenzie had the assists.
The Winterhawks got a power-play goal from Glass at 10:01, Kieffer Bellows at 13:21 and Glass again at 16:14 of the second to take a 4-1 lead after two periods.
Portland had a 31-18 lead in shots after two periods by outshooting the T-Birds 20-10 in the second period.
Portland went in front 5-1 on a goal from Skyler McKenzie at 3:47 of the third period.
Seattle cut the Winterhawks’ lead to 5-2 at 9:18 of the third. Zack Andrusiak took a shot just as a power play was ending that Kehler stopped. Sami Moilanen popped the puck past the goalie for his 22nd goal of the season. Dillon Hamaliuk had the second assist.
Portland made it an 8-2 game on goals by Reece Newkirk at 10:23, Brendan De Jong at 13:06 and Glass at 14:02 of the third.
Samuel Huo scored the T-Birds’ third goal at 14:36 of the third off assists from Noah Philp and Jake Lee. Huo has goals in back-to-back games.
Portland outshot Seattle 43-27 in the game.
Seattle goalie Liam Hughes had 27 saves on 34 shots in 53 minutes of action. Dorrin Luding had three saves on four shots in seven minutes of play to end the game.
Kehler had 24 saves on 27 shots.
What’s ahead
The T-Birds and Winterhawks meet at the accesso ShoWare Center at 7:05 p.m. Saturday. The T-Birds finish out the regular season against the Tri-City Americans at 5:05 p.m. Sunday at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.
Seattle plays Game 1 of a first-round, best-of-seven series on Friday, March 23, at either Everett or Portland. Game 2 is Saturday, March 24.
The T-Birds’ first home playoff game is Tuesday, March 27, at 7:05 p.m. The Directors Mortgage 2-for-Tuesday game will feature two-for-one tickets and beers and $2 popcorn, $2 hot dogs, and $2 soda.
Game tickets can be purchased on the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office, which is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday game days at noon.
A full first-round schedule will be released once the T-Birds know their opponent.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Volcan 32 (Harsch), 17:44. Penalties – Gricius, Por (holding), 8:41.
Second period – 2, Portland, Jokiharju 11 (Glass, McKenzie) 4:46. 3, Portland, Glass 35 (Cholowski), 10:01 (pp). 4, Portland, Bellows 40 (Hanus), 13:21. 5, Portland, Glass 36 (Gilliss, Hanus), 16:14. Penalties – Harsch, Por (cross checking), 8:31. De Jong, Por (interference), 10:28. Bellows, Por (slashing), 19:44.
Third period – 6, Portland, McKenzie 46 (Glass), 3:47. 7, Seattle, Moilanen 22 (Andrusiak, Hamaliuk), 9:18. 8, Portland, Newkirk 8 (Bellows, Jokiharju), 10:23. 9, Portland, De Jong 6 (Hughes, Blichfeld), 13:06. 10, Portland, Glass 37 (Bellows), 14:02. 11, Seattle, Huo 3 (Philp, Lee), 14:36. Penalties – Gricius, Por (slashing), 6:14. Newkirk, Por (roughing), 18:18.
Shots on goal – Seattle 8-10-8 27, Portland 11-20-12 43. Goalies – Seattle, Hughes 34 shots-27 saves (15-12-5-1), Luding 4-3; Portland, Kehler 27-24 (30-15-1-4). Power plays – Seattle 0-5; Portland 1-2. Referees – Chris Crich, Derek Zalaski. Linesmen – Nick Bilko, Brett Mackey.
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