Jerret Smith had two goals and an assist and Logan Flodell made 27 save to help lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 4-1 victory over the Prince George Cougars on Saturday night in their home opener at the ShoWare Center.
Flodell stopped eight shots in the first period, eight in the second period and 11 in the third period to get his first win of the season.
The T-Birds (1-1-0-0) play the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick at 5:05 p.m. Sunday at the Toyota Center.
Jarret Tyszka put the T-Birds in front 1-0 at 10:01 of the first period. Matthew Wedman worked the puck out from behind the Cougars net to Nick Holowko who carried it up the right boards. Tyszka pinched down from the left point and Holowko fed him with a crisp past. Tyszka snapped the puck past Ty Edmonds low for his first goal as a T-Bird.
Wedman and Holowko have a point in each of the T-Birds’ first two games.
The T-Birds took a 2-0 lead at 18:53 of the first on Smith’s first goal of the season. Smith corralled a loose puck in the neutral zone and skated to center ice. At the red line Smith dumped the puck high towards Edmonds to facilitate a line change. Edmonds went to one knee to catch the puck but missed it. The landed in front of him and slid through his legs and across the goal line.
The Cougars cut the lead to 2-1 on a shorthanded breakaway goal from Jesse Gabrielle at 2:54 of the second period.
Both teams had 17 shots on goal after two periods.
Smith gave the T-Birds a 3-1 lead with a power-play goal at 10:24 of the third period. Keegan Kolesar passed the puck to Smith on the right wing and Smith carried it into the Cougars zone. Smith took a shot from the right circle that handcuffed Edmonds and snuck through the goalie. Scott Eansor had the second assist.
The T-Birds struck on the power play at 11:12 of the third to make it a 4-1 lead. Ethan Bear took a slap shot from the left point that Edmonds partially stopped but the puck rolled behind the goalie. Eansor poked the puck into the net while being checked to get his second goal of the season. Smith had the second assist.
Seattle outshot Prince George 20-11 in the third period and 37-28 in the game.
Edmonds stopped 33 of 37 shots in the loss.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Tyszka 1 (Holowko, Wedman), 10:01. 2, Seattle, Smith 1, 18:53. Penalties – No penalties.
Second period – 3, Prince George, Gabrielle 3, 2:54 (sh). Penalties – Khaira, Sea (major-fighting), 1:53. McAuley, PG (instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 1:53. Olson, PG (roughing), 12:51. Olhaver, Sea (roughing), 12:51.
Third period – 4, Seattle, Smith 2 (Kolesar, Eansor), 10:24 (pp). 5, Seattle, Eansor 2 (E. Bear, Smith), 11:12 (pp). Penalties -Harkins, PG (holding), 9:00. Gabrielle, PG (roughing), 10:52. Wedman, Sea (interference), 12:10. Bison, PG (delay of game), 18:06.
Shots on goal – Seattle 7-10-20 37, Prince George 8-9-11 28. Goalies – Seattle, Flodell 28 shots-27 saves (1-0-0-0); Prince George, Edmonds 37-33 (0-2-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 2-4; Prince George 0-1. A – 5,095. Referees – Sean Raphael, Trevor Shively. Linesmen – Zach Brooks, Jacob Hill.
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