Matthew Wedman scored two goals to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 4-2 Western Hockey League win over the Vancouver Giants at the Langley (B.C.) Events Centre on Friday night.
The T-Birds return to Kent for their home opener at 7:05 p.m. today against the Portland Winterhawks. The T-Birds are encouraging fans to make sure they are in their seats by 6:55 p.m. for the raising of the U.S. Division and Western Conference championship banners in a pre-game ceremony. The T-Birds’ full roster also will be introduced.
Carl Stankowski, making his first career start in goal for the T-Birds, had 15 saves on 17 shots to get his first win.
Vancouver took a 1-0 lead at 4:56 of the first period on a goal from Radovan Bondra.
Seattle tied the game 1-1 at 12:58 of the first. Anthony Bishop moved the puck from the Seattle zone to Elijah Brown who carried it up the left wing. Brown passed the puck to Matthew Wedman in the slot as he split two Vancouver defenseman. Wedman controlled the puck and then backhanded it past Vancouver goalie David Tendeck.
The T-Birds made it a two-goal lead 1:09 into the second period on a four-on-four goal. Alexander True won a faceoff in the right circle of the Vancouver zone forward to Cavin Leth, whi skated toward the back of the Giant goal and then centered the puck into low slot to True. True banged the puck through Tendeck for his first goal of the season.
Layne Bensmiller tipped a Scott Eansor wrist shot past Tendeck at 1:32 of the third period to make it a 4-1 T-Birds lead. Eansor brought the puck out from behind the Vancouver net, curled into the right circle and took a shot with Bensmiller in front of the goalie.
Bondra scored on a wrist shot at 13:39 of the third to cut the T-Birds lead to two goals.
Vancouver pulled Tendeck for an extra attacker with 2:05 left in the game. The T-Birds defense held the Giants at bay and kept them from scoring.
Seattle outshot Vancouver 21-17 in the game.
Tendeck had 17 saves on 21 shots.
Tickets
Single-game tickets for the 2016-17 season are available online at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The box office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 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, Vancouver, Bondra 2 (Ronning), 4:56. 2, Seattle, Wedman 1 (Brown, Bishop), 12:58. Penalties – Semchuk, Van (interference), 15:04. Neuls, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:35. Rattie, Van (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:35.
Second period – 3, Seattle, True 1 (Leth), 1:09. 4, Seattle, Wedman 2 (Bishop), 13:53. Penalties – Dhaliwal, Van (tripping), 4:55. Leth, Sea (kneeing), 14:35.
Third period – 5, Seattle, Bensmiller 1 (Eansor), 1:32. 6, Vancouver, Bondra 3 (Ronning), 13:39. Penalties – Bishop, Sea (roughing), 5:49. Baer, Van (roughing), 5:49. Volcan, Sea (roughing), 8:13. Wesley, Van (roughing), 8:13. Volcan, Sea (major-fighting), 10:23. DeRoose, Van (major-fighting), 10:23.
Shots on goal – Seattle 9-8-4 21, Vancouver 4-9-4 17. Goalies – Seattle, Stankowski 17 shots-15 saves (1-0-0-0); Vancouver, Tendeck 21-18 (0-1-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-3; Vancouver 0-1. A – 3,848. Referees – Kevin Bennett, Nick Swaine. Linesmen – Spencer Lockert, Michael McGowan.
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