The Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Tri-City Americans 5-2 in front of 4,502 at the ShoWare Center on Saturday night to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven, first-round Western Hockey League playoff series.
The series shifts to Kennewick for Game 3 at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday at the Toyota Center and Game 4 at 7:05 p.m. Friday.
Seattle goalie Carl Stankowski made a very good save sliding to his left to stop Dylan Coghlan on a back-door play early in the first period. The save kept the Americans from taking an early lead and from that point the T-Birds pushed the pace.
Seattle took a 1-0 lead at 8:55 of the first period on a power-play goal from Nolan Volcan. Jarret Tyszka had the puck at center ice and passed it to Austin Strand in the left circle. Strand made a cross-ice pass to Volcan in the right circle. Volcan one-timed Strand’s pass as Tri-City goalie Rylan Parenteau lunged over to make the save. Volcan’s shot beat Parenteau high.
The T-Birds made it a 2-0 lead at 17:14 of the first. Keegan Kolesar chased the puck down in the left corner of the American zone. Kolesar sent the puck behind the Americans net to Scott Eansor. Eansor got the puck to Aaron Hyman at the right point. Hyman gave the puck back to Eansor along the right boards. Eansor skated into the right circle and took a slap shot with Volcan screening Parenteau. Eansor’s shot hit the left before it hit the back of the net.
Tri-City cut the T-Birds lead to one goal at 16:21 of the second period on a goal from Parker AuCoin.
The Americans tied the game 2-2 on a power-play goal by Maxwell James at 6:52 of the third period.
Mathew Wedman and Donovan Neuls scored goals 26 seconds apart late in the third period to get the T-Birds a 4-2 lead.
T-Birds pressure caused a scramble in front of Parenteau. The puck came to Wedman between the hash marks and he whipped the puck at the net beating the goalie on the glove side at 15:03 of the third. Strand and Tyler Adams had the assists.
Off the ensuing faceoff Dalton Yorke was called for charging, giving the T-Birds a power play. Donovan Neuls beat Parenteau from the left circle with a wrist shot over the glove at 15:29 of the third. Ethan Bear and Ryan Gropp had the assists.
The Americans pulled Parenteau for an extra attacker with 2:57 to go in the game and a faceoff in the T-Birds end. The Americans pressured the T-Birds but were called for cross checking with 25 seconds left in the game.
Hyman scored a power-play goal with 18 second left in the game to get the T-Birds fifth goal. Hyman took a wrist shot from the right circle off a pass from Tyszka that hit Parenteau and rebounded over the goalie and into the net. Alexander True had the second assist.
Seattle outshot Tri-City 13-11 in the third period and 41-30 in the game.
Stankowski had 28 saves on 30 shots to get his second win of the playoffs.
Parenteau made 36 saves on 41 shots in the loss.
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SERIES GLANCE
Seattle vs. Tri-City, best-of-7 first-round series
Game 1 – At Seattle 4, Tri-City 2
Game 2 – At Seattle 5, Tri-City 2
Game 3 – Seattle at Tri-City, Wednesday, March 29, 7:05 p.m.
Game 4 – Seattle at Tri-City, Friday, March 30, 7:05 p.m.
Game 5 – Tri-City at Seattle, Saturday, April 1, 7:05 p.m.*
Game 6 – Seattle at Tri-City, Monday, April 3, 7:05 p.m.*
Game 7 – Tri-City at Seattle, Wednesday, April 5, 7:05 p.m.*
* if necessary
TICKETS
Fans can purchase single-game tickets online or at the ShoWare Center box office.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Volcan 1 (Strand, Tyszka), 8:55 (pp). 2, Seattle, Eansor 1 (Hyman, Kolesar), 17:14. Penalties – Adams, Sea (elbowing), :32. Valimaki, Tri (interference), 7:04. Gropp, Sea (slashing), 18:28.
Second period – 3, Tri-City, AuCoin 1 (Focht), 16:21. Penalties – Adams, Sea (interference), 12:44. Wotherspoon, Tri (roughing), 19:43.
Third period – 4, Tri-City, James 1 (Sandhu, Valimaki), 6:52 (pp). 5, Seattle, Wedman 1 (Strand, Adams), 15:03. 6, Seattle, Neuls 1 (Bear, Gropp), 15:29 (pp). 7, Seattle, Hyman 1 (Tyszka, True), 19:35 (pp). Penalties – Moilanen, Sea (boarding), 2:15. Moilanen, Sea (hooking), 5:03. Yorke, Tri (charging), 15:10. James, Tri (cross checking), 19:35.
Shots on goal – Seattle 11-17-13 41, Tri-City 9-10-11 30. Goalies – Seattle, Stankowski 30 shots-28 saves (2-0-0), Tri-City, Parenteau 41-36 (0-2-0). Power plays – Seattle 3-4; Tri-City 1-5. A – 4,502. Referees – Jeff Ingram, Nick Swaine. Linesmen – Scott Mackey, Devon Sephton.
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