Jim O’Brien had two goals to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 4-3 overtime victory over the Portland Winter Hawks at Memorial Coliseum on Saturday night.
The win moves the T-Birds into sole possession of fifth place in the Western Conference playoff standings. The T-Birds are now one point ahead of the Kamloops Blazers in the standings with one game to play. The Blazers have finished regular season play.
The T-Birds will face either the Kelowna Rockets or Spokane Chiefs in the first round of the playoffs. The Rockets are in third place, three points ahead of the Chiefs, with one game remaining. The Chiefs have two games remaining. The Chiefs and Rockets face each other on Tuesday, March 17, in the final game of the season for both teams.
Games 3 and 4 of the first round playoff series will be at ShoWare Center on Tuesday, March 24, and Wednesday, March 25. Both games are at 7:05 p.m. All rounds of the playoffs are a best-of-seven format.
Portland (19-48-2-2) took a 1-0 lead 34 seconds into the first period on a goal by Riley Boychuk. Travis Bobbee had an assist on the goal.
Killian Hutt scored at 1:20 of the first to make it a 2-0 Portland lead. Chris Francis assisted on the goal.
The T-Birds cut the Winter Hawks lead to one goal when Jim O’Brien scored at 12:45 of the first. O’Brien won a face off in the right circle to his left. He got the puck and moved around a Portland defender and beat Winter Hawks goalie Kurtis Mucha with a backhand shot.
Portland outshot Seattle 7-4 in the first period.
Seattle (34-32-1-4) tied the game 2-2 at 3:22 of the second period. Jeremy Schappert sent the puck from the left point down the left boards. The puck rimmed around the Portland net to O’Brien on the right boards at the hash marks. O’Brien stopped the puck and put a wrist shot on goal. O’Brien’s shot rebounded off Mucha’s right pad, hit Portland defenseman Travis Ehrhardt in the skates and bounced into the Portland net.
The T-Birds went in front 3-2 on a shorthanded goal by Thomas Hickey at 16:48 of the second. O’Brien stole the puck from a Winter Hawk forward in the Seattle zone and headed up ice on the left side. Greg Scott and Hickey joined O’Brien to create a three-on-one break. Just over the Portland blue line O’Brien crossed the puck to Scott on the right side. Scott quickly sent the puck back left to Hickey who chipped the puck over Mucha’s blocker for his 16th goal of the year.
The Winter Hawks held a 20-15 advantage in shots on goal after outshooting the T-Birds 13-11 in the second period.
Oliver Gabriel scored at 5:25 of the third period to tie the game 3-3. Stefan Schneider had the only assist on the goal.
The T-Birds outshot the Winter Hawks 18-7 in the third period and led 33-27 in total shots after 60 minutes.
Seattle won the game with a power-play goal 44 seconds into overtime. Hickey carried the puck from left to right around the Portland net. He sent the puck to Scott at the left point. Scott skated across the blue line and then sent the puck back to Hickey on top of the left circle. Hickey put a slap shot on goal with Jeremy Boyer in front of Mucha. Boyer tipped Hickey’s shot over Mucha’s glove for his 18th goal of the year.
Seattle outshot Portland 34-27 in the game.
Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard made 24 saves on 27 shots and improved his record to 23-16-1-4.
Mucha made 30 saves on 34 shots and his record is now 13-29-2-2.
The T-Birds finish out the regular season against the Everett Silvertips on Sunday at 5:05 p.m. at ShoWare Center.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Portland, Boychuk 7, :34. 2, Portland, Hutt 14 (Francis), 1:20. 3, Seattle, O’Brien 26, 12:45. Penalties – LeBlanc, Sea (tripping), 3:51. Francis, Por (hooking), 7:30. Cloud, Sea (boarding), 13:39. Lockhart, Sea (tripping), 18:45. Haber, Sea (roughing), 20:00. Reddin, Por (roughing), 20:00.
Second period – 4, Seattle, O’Brien 26 (Schappert), 3:22. 5, Seattle, Hickey 16 (Scott, O’Brien), 16:48 (sh). Penalties – Ponich, Por (slashing), 1:39. Richard, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct-diving), 1:39. Cloud, Sea (instigator, major- fighting, 10-minute misconduct),16:09. Kerr, Por (major-fighting), 16:09. Haber, Sea (cross checking, 17:33. Ross, Por (goaltender interference), 17:33.
Third period – 6, Portland, Gabriel 6 (Schneider), 5:25. Penalties – Ridgeway, Por (hooking), 19:18.
Overtime – 7, Seattle, Boyer 18 (Hickey, Scott), :44 (pp). Penalties – No penalties.
Shots on goal – Seattle 4-11-18-1 34. Portland 7-13-7-0 27. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 27 shots-24 saves (23-16-1-4); Portland, Mucha 34-30 (13-29-2-2). Power plays – Seattle 1-2; Portland 0-4. A – 9,433. Referee – Tyler Johnson, Pat Smith. Linesmen – Chris Dehaan, Kevin Boris.
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