T-Birds to face rival Winterhawks in playoff opener | WHL

For the Reporter

The Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Portland Winterhawks 6-3 Saturday night in a Western Hockey League game in front of a season-high 6,220 fans at the ShoWare Center.

The same teams collide in the first-round of the playoffs, with the best-of-seven series opening Saturday in Portland. Game 2 also is in Portland before the series shifts to Kent for Game 3 and 4 on March 31 and April 2, respectively.

The T-Birds finished the season with a 38-25-4-5 record after their victory.

Logan Flodell got the start for the T-Birds in net and stopped 35 of 38 to earn his third win of the season. Portland’s Adin Hill stopped 29 of 34 and took the loss, falling to 31-11-1-0.

Oliver Bjorkstrand scored 38 seconds into the game to give Portland a 1-0 lead.

Ryan Gropp tied the game back up after several minutes of pressure from the T-Birds. Gropp’s goal came at 5:42. The winger took the puck on the sideboards from Turner Ottenbreit and cut in through the faceoff circle to the center of the crease. Gropp’s shot went over Hill’s shoulder and into the net for his 29th goal of the season. Mathew Barzal had the secondary assist.

Seattle led 17-13 in shots in the first period.

Another Gropp goal extended the lead at 4:31 of the second period. This time, Barzal and Roberts Lipsbergs fought the puck out of the corner, with Lipsbergs eventually gaining full control and finding Gropp. Gropp cut to the net again, regaining control of the puck after he beat three defenders and waiting long enough to find an opening for his shot. The goal gave Gropp an even 30 on the season and six in his last four periods of play spanning two games.

The goals kept coming for Seattle, with Jared Hauf adding one at 6:26. Hauf’s point shot stayed low and wriggled under Hill as Donovan Neuls set a screen in front. Nolan Volcan and Scott Eansor earned the assists.

Portland’s Bjorkstrand scored for the second time at 13:03, cutting Seattle’s lead to two goals.

Shots were 11-10 Portland in the second.

Bjorkstrand completed his hat trick with a penalty shot goal at 12:50.

Just 20 seconds later, Jerret Smith scored to push Seattle’s lead back to two goals. Lipsbergs won the puck on the boards in the corner. Smith cut into the slot awaiting a pass and got just that from Lipsbergs before beating Hill over the glove. The power-play goal was also assisted by Gropp, giving him three points on the night and pushing him past Barzal for the team lead in points with 58.

Shea Theodore scored an empty net goal with 1:19 left in the game to seal the victory.

Playoff glance

Seattle vs. Portland first-round series schedule

Game 1- Seattle at Portland, March 28 6 p.m. (Veterans Memorial Coliseum)
Game 2- Seattle at Portland, March 29 5:00 p.m. (Moda Center)
Game 3- Portland at Seattle, March 31 7:05 p.m.
Game 4- Portland at Seattle, April 2 7:05 p.m.
Game 5- Seattle at Portland, April 4 6:00 p.m.* (VMC)
Game 6- Portland at Seattle, April 7 7:05 p.m.*
Game 7- Seattle at Portland, April 8 7:00 p.m.* (VMC)

*If necessary

Tickets for Game 3 and Game 4 are on sale on 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.

Game 3 will be a Director’s Mortgage 2-for-Tuesday game. All tickets for Game 3 are 2-for-1 and ShoWare Center will feature concession specials including $2 beer, $2 hot dogs, $2 soda and $2 popcorn for all fans.

The T-Birds have a special ticket offer for Game 4. Fans can get 10 tickets for $200. Anyone that purchases this playoff ticket package will also receive two additional playoff tickets to Game 4, a T-Birds T-shirt of their choice from the Hockey Store in ShoWare Center and $10 in Chuck-a-Pucks. Fans can purchase this package on the T-Birds website.

T-Birds notes

The T-Birds held their annual team awards after the game. Evan Wardley won the Humanitarian Award for his work in the community this season.

Keegan Kolesar won the Scholastic Award for his academic work. The Most Improved Player Award went to Luke Osterman. Ryan Gropp was the team’s top scorer, finishing with 58 points. Donovan Neuls was voted the Most Dedicated Player by his teammates, as well as the Rookie of the Year.

The Top Defenseman this season was Shea Theodore, who set the record for most career points and goals for a defenseman in franchise history. Taran Kozun was the team’s Most Valuable Player this year.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Portland, Bjorkstrand 59 (Cederholm, Viveiros), :38. 2, Seattle, Gropp 29 (Ottenbreit, Barzal), 5:42. 3, Seattle, Millette 24 (Hauf), 16:33. Penalties – Hanson, Portland (tripping), 12:02. Cederholm, Portland (delay of game), 12:12. Cederholm, Portland (goaltender interference), 14:22. Hauf, Seattle (unsportsmanlike conduct), 20:00.

Second period – 4, Seattle, Gropp 30 (Lipsbergs, Barzal), 4:31. 5, Seattle, Hauf 4 (Volcan, Eansor), 6:16. 6, Portland, Bjorkstrand 60 (unassisted), 13:03. Penalties – Wardley, Seattle (tripping), 7:31.

Third period – 7, Portland, Bjorkstrand 61 (unassisted), 12:50 (sh, ps). 8, Seattle, Smith 11 (Lipsbergs, Gropp), 13:11 (pp). 9, Seattle, Theodore 13 (Neuls), 18:41 (en). Penalties – McKenzie, Portland (roughing), 8:28. True, Seattle (roughing), 8:28. Bench, Portland (too many men-served by McKenzie), 12:16.

Shots on goal – Seattle 17-10-8 35, Portland 13-11-14 38. Goalies – Seattle, Flodell 38 shots-35 saves (3-2-0-1); Portland, Hill 34-29 (31-11-1-0). Power plays – Seattle 1-4; Portland 0-2. A – 6,220. Referees – Brett Iverson, Sean Raphael. Linesmen – Zach Brooks, Adam Brastad.