For the Reporter
The Seattle Thunderbirds leaned on goalie Taran Kozun at the start and end of the game against Portland Winterhawks Saturday night at the Moda Center in Portland to secure a 3-2 shootout win.
It was the T-Birds’ second win in the shootout against Portland this season and their third win overall at the Moda Center. The T-Birds won 4-3 in a shootout on Oct. 3 and 4-1 on Sept. 19.
Seattle (4-3-0-0) won at Spokane on Friday, 2-1, behind Jared Hauf’s goal in overtime.
Against Portland, Kozun stopped 32 of 34 shots to get the win and improve his record to 4-2-0-0.
The Seattle goalie kept the T-Birds in the game at the start as Portland outshot Seattle 10-2 to start the game. Kozun made several good saves to keep the Winterhawks to one goal in the period.
Kozun stopped Dominic Turgeon, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Chase De Leo in the shootout. Mathew Barzal was the only T-Bird to score in the shootout. Barzal came down on Portland goalie Brendan Burke and beat the goalie with a move to his left and then a backhand shot.
Portland (1-7-0-2) took a 1-0 lead on an unassisted goal from Oliver Bjorkstrand at 7:57 of the first period. Bjorkstrand stole the puck from a T-Birds defenseman and came in alone against Kozun. Bjorkstrand beat Kozun over the glove for the goal.
The Winterhawks outshot the T-Birds 13-11 in the first period.
Seattle (4-3-0-0) tied the game 1-1 1:55 into the second period on Ryan Gropp’s team leading fourth goal of the season. Barzal passed the puck to Justin Hickman inside the Portland blue line. Hickman quickly moved the puck to Gropp coming down the left wing. Gropp skated towards Burke and beat the goalie over the glove.
The T-Birds took a 2-1 lead at 4:47 of the second on a power-play goal from Barzal. Barzal gained the Portland zone and put a shot on goal from the right circle. The shot hit Burke in the shoulder and popped up into the air and landed behind the goalie. The puck rolled over the line for the go-ahead goal. Ethan Bear and Jerret Smith had the assists on the goal.
Barzal now has a three-game goal streak and a four-game point with three goals and four assists in the last four games.
Bear has a four-game point streak with a goal and four assists in the last four games.
Seattle outshot Portland 11-6 in the second period and led 21-19 in shots after 40 minutes.
Miles Koules tied the game 2-2 with 2:29 left in the game with an unassisted goal.
The Winterhawks had a 32-31 advantage in shots on goal after three periods, outshooting the T-Birds 13-9 in the third period.
Seattle outshot Portland 35-34 in the game.
Burke ended with 32 saves on 34 shots and his record is now 1-4-0-2.
Back on home ice
The T-Birds’ first 2-for-Tuesday of the season is this week against the Spokane Chiefs at ShoWare Center at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday’s meeting is the first game of a home-and-home series against the Chiefs. The teams meet in Spokane at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday.
To order, visit tickets.seattlethunderbirds.com.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Portland, Bjorkstrand 4, 7:57. Penalties – Spencer, Sea (holding), 8:58. Texeira, Por (kneeing), 12:49. Wardley, Sea (roughing, major-charging, game misconduct), 16:27. Hanson, Por (roughing), 16:27. Schoenborn, Por (hooking), 17:24.
Second period – 2, Seattle, Gropp 4 (Hickman, Barzal), 1:55. 3, Seattle, Barzal 3 (Smith, Bear), 4:43 (pp). Penalties – Koules, Por (goaltender interference), 4:47. Bjorkstrand, Por (interference), 6:00. Hauf, Sea (holding), 10:58. Schoenborn, Por (elbowing), 10:58. Volcan, Sea (goaltender interference), 12:58.
Third period – 4, Portland, Koules 2, 17:31. Penalties – Cederholm, Por (boarding), 9:23.
Overtime – No scoring. Penalties – Bjorkstrand, Por (boarding), 5:00.
Shootout – Seattle 1 (Barzal G, Kolesar NG). Portland 0 (Turgeon NG, Bjorkstrand NG, De Leo NG).
Shots on goal – Seattle 11-11-9-3-1 35, Portland 13-6-13-2-0 34. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 34 shots-32 saves (4-2-0-0); Portland, Burke 34-32 (1-4-0-2). Power plays – Seattle 1-4; Portland 0-3. A – 7,468. Referees – Fraser Lawrence, Andrew Wilk. Linesmen – Jacob Hill, Joel Nyberg.
