Mathew Barzal scored with 2:02 left in the game to lift the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 4-3 Western Hockey League win over the Kamloops Blazers in British Columbia on Sunday.
The T-Birds, winners of four straight and eight of their last nine, improved to 36-23-3-0, three points behind the Everett Silvertips for first place in the U.S. Division. The Silvertips defeated the Tri-City Americans 3-2 Sunday night.
Seattle goalie Logan Flodell was solid in net, making 32 saves on 35 shots to get his 20th win of the season. His record is 20-13-3-0.
The T-Birds won all four games against the Blazers this season.
Kamloops (29-25-5-4) took a 1-0 lead at 13:12 of the first period on a power-play goal from Gage Quinney. Matt Revel and Ryan Rehill had the assists.
Seattle tied the game 1-1 at 4:17 of the second period on a power-play goal from Bryan Allbee.
Allbee took a wrist shot with Scott Eansor and Nolan Volcan screening Kamloops goalie Connor Ingram. Allbee’s shot beat Ingram low for his sixth goal of the season. Donovan Neuls and Eansor had the assists.
The T-Birds took a 2-1 lead at 8:17 of the second with a second power-play goal. Neuls won a faceoff in the left circle back to Turner Ottenbreit at the left point. Ottenbreit skated to his right and then put a slap shot on goal with Volcan in front of Ingram. Volcan tipped Ottenbreit’s shot past Ingram for his 12th goal of the season.
The Blazers tied the game 2-2 at 13:53 of the second on a power-play goal from Ryan Rehill.
The T-Birds answered back 26 seconds after Kamloops second goal. Barzal had the puck along the left boards. Barzal crossed the puck to Allbee at the right point. Allbee took a slap shot with traffic in front of Ingram and found the net for his second goal of the night. Nick Holowko had the second assist on the goal.
The T-Birds were called for a roughing penalty at 12:59 of the third, which was followed by an unsportsmanlike penalty call, to give the Blazers a five-on-three power play. The Blazers converted when Dawson Davidson banged in a loose puck at 13:30 of the third period. Revel and Jake Kryski had the assists. The T-Birds were able to kill off the second penalty to keep the game tied 3-3.
The T-Birds took a 4-3 lead with 2:02 left in the game. Jared Hauf kept the puck from going out of the zone on the left side. Hauf sent the puck low to Barzal who then passed it to Nick Holowko in the slot. Holowko took a shot that Ingram kicked out right to Barzal in the low left circle. Barzal put the puck high past Ingram for what turned out to be the game-winning goal.
The T-Birds got a power play with under two minutes left but then were called for hooking with 41 seconds left in the game. The Blazers pulled Ingram for a five-on-four power play to try and tie the game. The final horn sounded as a scramble was underway in front of Flodell.
The Blazers outshot the T-Birds 11-9 in the third period and 35-27 in the game.
Ingram made 23 saves on 27shots and his record is now 26-15-4-3.
Back home
The T-Birds’ next game is against the Tri-City Americans at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at the ShoWare Center.
Tickets are available 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 game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Kamloops, Quinney 25 (Revel, Rehill), 13:12 (pp). Penalties – Loewen, Sea (boarding), 4:33. Leth, Sea (boarding), 12:08. Hauf, Sea (holding), 18:09. Quinney, Kam (embellishment), 18:09.
Second period – 2, Seattle, Allbee 7 (Neuls, Eansor), 4:17 (pp). 3, Seattle, Volcan 12 (Ottenbreit, Neuls), 8:17 (pp). 4, Kamloops, Rehill 10 (Needham, Shirley), 13:53 (pp). 5, Seattle, Allbee 8 (Barzal, Holowko), 14:19. Penalties – Bench, Kam (too many men-served by Campese), 3:00. Loewen, Kam (major-fighting), 5:32. Uhrich, Sea (major-fighting), 5:32. Rehill, Kam (closing hand on puck), 8:08. Eansor, Sea (tripping), 10:12. Volcan, Sea (interference), 12:53. Eansor, Sea (interference), 19:04. Benjafield, Kam (roughing), 19:04. Volcan, Sea (roughing), 19:04.
Third period – 6, Kamloops, Davidson 5 (Revel, Kryski), 13:30 (pp). 7, Seattle, Barzal 22 (Holowko, Hauf), 17:58. Penalties – Schumacher, Sea (roughing), 12:59. Bench, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct-served by Wedman), 12:59. Kryski, Kam (delay of game), 18:21. True, Sea (hooking), 19:22.
Shots on goal – Seattle 10-8-9 27, Kamloops 11-13-11 35. Goalies – Seattle, Flodell 35 shots-32 saves (20-13-3-0); Kamloops, Ingram 27-23 (26-15-5-4). Power plays – Seattle 2-4; Kamloops 3-7. A – 3,322. Referees – Reid Anderson, Steve Papp. Linesmen – Riley Balson, Kevin Crowell.
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