Prab Rai had two goals to help the Seattle Thunderbirds defeat the Everett Silvertips 3-2 on a night when the Thunderbirds honored the four slain Lakewood police officers.
In pregame ceremonies at the ShoWare Center on Saturday night, two Lakewood police officers dropped the ceremonial first puck. The Lakewood Police Independent Guild was also at the game collecting monetary donations for a fund that helps the families of slain officers.
The T-Birds will also be donating 100 percent of the proceeds from ticket sales during a 12-hour period on Wednesday, Dec. 9, to the Lakewood Police Independent Guild. The 12-hour period goes from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is for the game on Friday, Dec. 11, against the Tri-City Americans.
Seattle (11-17-1-3) jumped out to a 1-0 lead at 6:19 of the first period on Prab Rai’s 18th goal of the season. Rai carried the puck around the Everett net and up to the hash marks where he attempted to put a shot on net. The shot was blocked but returned to Rai who put the puck over Everett goalie Thomas Heemskerk’s glove. Charles Wells and Lindsay Nielsen were credited with the assists.
Rai scored his second goal of the night on the power play at 12:04 of the first to give the T-Birds a 2-0 lead. Wells passed the puck from along the boards to Nielsen, who was on the side of Everett’s net. Heemskerk went to his knees to block Nielsen’s shot, but Nielsen passed the puck across the crease to Rai, who had an open net and easily put the puck away for his 19th goal of the season.
The T-Birds went in front 3-0 at 18:38 of the first on a power-play by Brendan Rouse. Sena Acolatse had the puck at the left point. He passed the puck low to Jonathan Parker at the goal line. Parker curled in to the circle and made quick cross-slot pass to Rouse in the right circle. Rouse snapped the puck under Heemskerk for his fourth goal of the season.
Seattle outshot Everett 14-8 in the first period.
Everett (16-11-1-0) got on the board at 3:11 of the second period when Tyler Maxwell scored an unassisted goal.
The T-Birds outshot the Silvertips 13-9 in the second period and led 27-17 in shots after two periods.
Maxwell scored a power-play goal at 14:22 of the third period to cut the T-Birds lead to one goal.
Seattle outshot Everett 34-28 in the game.
Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard (9-13-1-3) got the win by making 26 saves on 28 shots.
Everett goalie Thomas Heemskerk (9-6-1-0) made 31 saves on 34 shots to receive the loss.
T-Birds single game tickets for the 2009-10 season are available online at the T-Birds’ Web site 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.T-Birds Group tickets are currently on sale. Group tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Rai 18 (Wells, Nielsen), 6:19. 2, Seattle, Rai 19 (Nielsen, Wells), 11:38 (pp). 3, Seattle, Rouse 4 (Parker, Acolatse), 18:38 (pp). Penalties – Murray, Evt (hooking), 8:06. Maxwell, Evt (interference), 10:46. Rissanen, Evt (high- sticking), 12:04. Dailey, Evt (hooking), 13:43. Sohor, Evt (hooking), 17:18.
Second period – 4, Everett, Maxwell 18, 3:11. Penalties – Tochkin, Evt (high-sticking), 5:01. Sentyurin, Sea (interference), 7:38. Tutt, Sea (high- sticking), 17:32. Dailey, Evt (hooking), 17:32.
Third period – 5, Everett, Maxwell 19, 14:22 (pp). Penalties – Rouse, Sea (hooking), 13:01.
Shots on goal – Seattle 14-13-7 34. Everett 8- 9-11 28. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 28 shots- 26 saves (9-13-1-3); Everett, Heemskerk 34-31 (9-6-1- 0). Power plays – Seattle 2-6; Everett 1-2. A – 4,694. Referee – Steve Papp, Ryan Thompson. Linesmen – Chris Dehaan, Clayton Richardson.
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