{"id":30243,"date":"2017-09-01T13:30:00","date_gmt":"2017-09-01T20:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/sports\/thunderbirds-fall-to-giants-in-preseason-opener-whl\/"},"modified":"2017-09-01T13:30:00","modified_gmt":"2017-09-01T20:30:00","slug":"thunderbirds-fall-to-giants-in-preseason-opener-whl","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kentreporter.com\/sports\/thunderbirds-fall-to-giants-in-preseason-opener-whl\/","title":{"rendered":"Thunderbirds fall to Giants in preseason opener | WHL"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Vancouver Giants defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-1 Friday morning in the first game for both teams at the Delta Hotels Preseason Classic at Xfinity Arena in Everett.<\/p>\n
Classic play continues with the T-Birds facing the Everett Silvertips at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Classic ends for the T-Birds on Sunday with a 3 p.m. game against the Spokane Chiefs.<\/p>\n
Vancouver took a 1-0 lead 53 seconds into the game on a goal from Brendan Semchuk. Tyler Popowich and Owen Hardy had the assists. The Giants took a 2-0 lead on a four-on-four goal by Brad Morrison at 3:10 of the second period. Ty Ronning had the only assist on the goal.<\/p>\n
Todd Scott started for in goal for Vancouver. Midway through the second period Scott was replaced by Trent Miner. Scott made 14 saves.<\/p>\n
Vancouver made it a 3-0 lead on a power-play goal by Owen Hardy at 7:45 of the second. Kaleb Bulych and Semchuk had the assists.<\/p>\n
Payton Mount got the T-Birds on the board at 18:32 of the third period on an end-to-end rush on the power play. Mount gathered the puck behind his net as he skated away from a defender. Mount went around a defenseman at the Giants blue line and came in alone on Miner. Mount waited out Miner, skated to his right and slid the puck under the goalie at the post.<\/p>\n
Cole Schwebius played the whole game for the T-Birds in net. He made 30 saves on 33 shots.<\/p>\n