For the Reporter
The Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Portland Winterhawks 4-3 in Western Hockey League play Saturday night at the ShoWare Center.
The win was Seattle’s fourth over Portland in five meetings this season. The T-Birds are 15-15-2-2, tied for fourth in the U.S. Division with the Tri-City Americans. Portland falls to 19-15-0-3.
Taran Kozun got his 14th win of the season after stopping 21 of 24 shots. Kozun’s is 14-10-2-2. Brendan Burke, who stopped 11 of 15 shots, dropped his record to 7-8-0-3.
Adin Hill took over for Burke at the beginning of the second period and stopped all 14 Seattle shots from there on out.
Jerret Smith scored on the very first shot of the game to give Seattle a 1-0 lead. Calvin Spencer and Nick Holowko combined for some forecheck pressure that eventually forced a turnover behind the Portland net. Spencer gained control and worked a pass to Smith at the blue line. Smith’s shot went through heavy traffic and flew over Burke’s right shoulder as the goaltender struggled to locate the puck.
Portland tied the game on the power play just before the 10-minute mark. Dominic Turgeon scored after Paul Bittner pushed the puck out from a scrum on the boards.
Seattle took back the lead after a successful penalty kill, scoring at 14:23. Evan Wardley left the penalty box as Ryan Gropp rushed up the ice. Wardley positioned himself in front of the net as a screen while Gropp whisked a pass to Smith. Smith worked the puck to Justin Hickman, whose shot from the slot beat Burke to make it 2-1.
Another goal just a minute and a half later made it 3-1 Seattle. Wardley took a shot from high in the zone that beat Burke through traffic, scoring his third goal of the season. Nolan Volcan and Donovan Neuls had the assists on the goal coming at 15:41.
Portland scored its second power-play goal of the game with 47 seconds left in the first period.
The T-Birds scored at 19:53 during a stretch of four-on-four to make it 4-2. Gropp picked the puck up from along the end boards after Eansor had tied up a Portland player. Gropp cut out across the crease and flipped a backhand shot past Burke for the goal. There were no assists on Gropp’s 15th goal of the season.
Ethan Price made it a one-goal game at 3:50, scoring his third goal of the season for the visitors.
Kozun kept the lead intact for Seattle at 4:30, stopping a series of dangerous chances by the Winterhawks.
Seattle’s forecheck prevented Portland from pulling their goalie until 19:15, giving the visitors just 45 seconds to tie the game. The T-Birds cleared the puck out of the zone after winning it along the boards to secure the victory.
Back on the road
Seattle travels to Vancouver Sunday for a 2 p.m. game against the Giants.
T-Birds host to the Everett Silvertips at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday.
Tickets are available online 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 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.
Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Smith 3 (Spencer, Holowko), 1:17. 2, Portland, Turgeon 12 (Schoenborn, Bittner), 9:13 (pp). 3, Seattle, Hickman 9 (Smith, Gropp), 14:23. 4, Seattle, Wardley 3 (Volcan, Neuls), 15:41. 5, Portland, Bittner 14 (Viveiros, Schoenborn), 19:12 (pp). 6, Seattle, Gropp 15 (unassisted), 19:53. Penalties – Hickman, Seattle (tripping), 8:18. Overhardt, Portland (tripping), 9:37. Wardley, Seattle (high-sticking), 12:11. Wardley, Seattle (high-sticking), 19:00. Iverson, Portland (roughing), 19:31. Hickman, Seattle (roughing), 19:31.
Second period – 7, Portland, Price 3 (Iverson, Hanson), 3:50. Penalties – Weinger, Portland (tripping), 1:23. Iverson, Portland (roughing), 11:20. McKenzie, Portland (hooking), 13:28. Bench-served by Glass, Portland (too many men on the ice), 16:20.
Third period – No scoring. Penalties – No penalties.
Shots on goal – Seattle 15-9-5 29, Portland 8-10-6 24. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 24 shots-21 saves (14-10-2-2); Portland, Burke 15-11 (7-8-0-3), Hill 14-14. Power plays – Seattle 0-5; Portland 2-3. A – 5,521. Referees – Mike Campbell, Jeff Ingram. Linesmen – Aaron Mills, Zach Brooks.
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