Thunderbirds defeat Silvertips 4-3 in shootout

Ward makes 27 saves, stops seven of nine shooters in sudden death

September 12, 2018 9:30 am
Thunderbirds goalie Eric Ward makes one of his 27 saves against the Silvertips in a Western Hockey League preseason game Tuesday night at the accesso ShoWare Center. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds
Thunderbirds goalie Eric Ward makes one of his 27 saves against the Silvertips in a Western Hockey League preseason game Tuesday night at the accesso ShoWare Center. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds

For the Reporter

Goalie Eric Ward stopped Martin Fasko-Rudas in the ninth round of a shootout to secure the Seattle Thunderbirds’ 4-3 win over the Everett Silvertips in a Western Hockey League preseason game Tuesday night at the accesso ShoWare Center.

Payton Mount started the ninth round and scored when he skated in, stopped in the low slot and beat Everett goalie Blake Lyda on the blocker side. It was then up to Ward to win the game, and he responded, refusing to fall for Fasko-Rudas’ deke and putting the sliding puck past the right post.

Bryce Kindopp, the first shooter for Everett, scored. Zack Andrusiak, the T-Birds’ third shooter, scored to send the shootout to sudden death.

Matthew Wedman, the fifth T-Birds’ shooter, scored but was matched by Everett’s Luke Ormsby.

Ward made 27 saves on 30 shots.

Seattle took a 1-0 lead 3:16 into the first period on Nolan Volcan’spower-play goal. Zack Andrusiak carried the puck up center ice and passed it to Andrej Kukuca, who crossed the blue line into the right circle and took a hard wrist shot. The rebound came off Lyda’s right pad to Volcan coming down the slot. Volcan snapped the puck past Lyda for his second goal of the preseason.

The T-Birds took a 2-0 lead at 12:51 of the first on a power-play goal from Graeme Bryks. Andrusiak had the puck along the right-wing boards and passed it to Simon Kubicek, who took a slap shot that rebounded off Lyda to Bryks in the slot. Bryks swept the puck past the goalie for his second goal of the preseason.

Everett cut the lead to one goal at 13:44 of the first on Sean Richards’ goal.

The Silvertips tied the game 2-2 at 15:15 of the first on a five-on-three power-play goal by Kindopp.

Seattle took a 3-2 lead at 7:33 of the second period. Dillon Hamaliuk picked up a loose puck in the neutral zone and broke up the left wing on a two-on-one with Samuel Huo. Hamaliuk took the puck low and as he was crossing the goal line centered it to Huo on top of the crease. Huo redirected the puck through Lyda’s legs.

The T-Birds outshot the Silvertips 17-7 in the second period and led 24-21 in shots after two periods.

Everett tied the game 3-3 at 11:46 of the third on Kindopp’s second goal of the game.

The T-Birds outshot Everett 43-30 in the game.

Lyda had 40 saves on 43 shots.

Up next

The T-Birds (4-2-0-0 in the preseason) wrap up preseason play against the Silvertips at the Angel of the Winds Arena at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The T-Birds open the regular season against the Portland Winterhawks at 6:05 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 22 at ShoWare.

Single-game tickets for the regular season are on sale online and at the ShoWare box office.

Season tickets may be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Volcan 2 (Kukuca, Andrusiak), 3:16 (pp). 2, Seattle, Bryks 2 (Kubicek, Andrusiak), 12:51 (pp). 3, Everett, Richards 3 (Ormsby, Butt), 13:14. 4, Everett, Kindopp 2 (Richards, Fasko-Rudas), 15:15 (pp). Penalties – I. Walker, Evt (tripping), 2:14. McNelly, Sea (holding), 6:19. I. Walker, Evt (instigator, major-fighting, game misconduct), 8:29. Savey, Sea (major-fighting), 8:29. Mitchell, Evt (tripping), 11:21. McNelly, Sea (high-sticking), 13:27. Wedman, Sea (boarding), 14:34.

Second period – 5, Seattle, Huo 1 (Hamaliuk), 7:33. Penalties – Kaluski, Sea (high-sticking), 12:46.

Third period – 6, Everett, Kindopp 3 (Mitchell, Moar), 11:46. Penalties – Craik, Sea (roughing), 7:08. McNelly, Sea (roughing), 7:08. Butt, Evt (roughing), 7:08. Richards, Evt (roughing), 7:08. Wedman, Sea (holding), 7:17. Vitelli, Evt (tripping), 14:24. Fasko-Rudas, Evt (hooking), 3:33

Overtime – No scoring. Penalties – No penalties.

Shootout – Seattle 3 (Philp NG, Kukuca NG, Andrusiak G, Bryks NG, Wedman G, Volcan NG, Lee NG, Hamaliuk NG, Mount G). Everett 2 (Kindopp G, Richards NG, Berezowski NG, Fairbrother NG, Ormsby G, Goncalves NG, K. Walker NG, Vitelli NG, Fasko-Rudas NG).

Shots on goal – Seattle 7-17-15-4 43, Everett 14-7-9-0 30. Goalies – Seattle, Ward 30 shots-27 saves (1-1-0-0); Everett, Lyda 43-40 (0-1-1-1). Power plays – Seattle 2-5; Everett 1-5. Referees – Jeff Ingram, Kevin Bennett. Linesmen – Adam Brastad, Cameron Wetmore.