The Portland Winterhawks spoiled the Seattle Thunderbirds’ home opener with a 6-1 Western Hockey League victory in front of a sellout crowd of 6,138 at the ShoWare Center on Saturday night.
The T-Birds raised U.S. Division and Western Conference championship banners in a special pregame ceremony.
Portland took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal from Skyler McKenzie at 7:28 of the first period. The Winterhawks made it a 2-0 lead at 15:03 of the first on a power-play goal from Colton Veloso.
Seattle outshot Portland 9-8 in the first period.
Keegan Iverson scored at 10:36 of the second period and Ryan Hughes scored at 14:01 of the period to give the Winterhawks a 4-0 lead.
The T-Birds replaced Rylan Toth in goal with Carl Stankowski after the fourth Winterhawks’ goal. Toth made 12 saves on 16 shots.
Alexander True got the T-Birds on the board when he scored at 15:42 of the second. Donovan Neuls passed the puck from the left wall to True in the right circle and he beat Portland goalie Cole Kehler high for his second goal of the season.
Alex Overhardt scored a power-play goal at 2:06 of the third period to give Portland a 5-1 lead.
Iverson scored on a penalty shot at 18:36 of the third to get the Winterhawks sixth goal. Iverson was hooked up from behind on a shorthanded breakaway.
Both teams had 26 shots on goal in the game.
Stankowski had eight saves on 10 shots.
Kehler had 25 saves on 26 shots.
Next: Spokane
The T-Birds’ next game is Friday, Oct. 8, against the Spokane Chiefs at ShoWare Center.
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, Portland, McKenzie 4 (Glass, Iverson), 8:19 (pp). 2, Portland, Veloso 1 (Texeira, Hughes), 15:03 (pp). Penalties – Ottenbreit, Sea (holding), 7:28. True, Sea (holding), 13:32. Colina, Por (tripping), 16:11. Blichfeld, Por (tripping), 19:45.
Second period – 3, Portland, Iverson 1 (Texeira, Glass), 10:36. 5, Seattle, True 2 (Neuls, Brown), 15:42. Penalties – Neuls, Sea (slashing), 1:56. Glass, Por (tripping), 2:28. Jones, Por (holding), 4:56. Leth, Sea (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 15:52. Iverson, Por (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 15:52. Neuls, Sea (roughing), 16:52. Czaikowski, Por (roughing), 16:52.
Third period – 6, Seattle, Overhardt 3 (Hughes, Texeira), 2:06 (pp). 7, Portland, Iverson 2, 18:36 (sh/pen). Penalties – Eansor, Sea (high sticking), :34. Blichfeld, Por (slashing), 7:26. Jokiharju, Por (slashing), 17:04.
Shots on goal – Seattle 9-14-3 26, Portland 8-10-8 26. Goalies – Seattle, Toth 16 shots-12 saves (0-2-0-0), Stankowski 10-8; Portland, Kehler 26-25 (2-0-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 4-5; Portland 0-4. A – 6,138. Referees – Brett Iverson, Shane Warshaw. Linesmen – Nick Bilko, Zack Brooks.
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