Thunderbirds drill Oil Kings

Kubicek, Philp and Andrusiak each score two goals in 7-3 win over Edmonton

October 14, 2018 8:30 am
Thunderbirds captain Nolan Volcan tries to gain control of the puck between Oil King defenders during WHL play Saturday night. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds

Simon Kubicek, Noah Philp and Zack Andrusiak each had two goals to power the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 7-3 Western Hockey League victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings at the accesso ShoWare Center on Saturday night.

Jake Lee had four assists in the game and has a goal and nine assists in the first seven games of the season.

Dillon Hamaliuk had a goal and two assists in the game and has six goals and nine assist for 15 points in the first seven games of the season.

Goalie Liam Hughes made 38 saves on 41 shots to improve to 5-1-0-0.

Seattle (5-1-1-0) took a 1-0 lead 3:40 into the game on Kubicek’s third goal of the season. Andrej Kukuca worked the puck out of the left corner to Lee at the left point. Lee crossed the puck to Kubicek, who took a wrist shot with Nolan Volcan screening Edmonton goalie Dylan Myskiw high.

Edmonton (5-6-0-1) tied the game 1-1 at 4:14 of the first on a goal from Brett Kemp.

Kubicek put the T-Birds up 2-1 at 3:26 of the second period. Kubicek took a slap shot from the top of the right circle with traffic in front of Myskiw beating the goalie low. Lee and Payton Mount had the assists.

Seattle extended the lead to 3-1 at 5:11 of the second on a shorthanded goal from Hamaliuk. Tyrel Bauer worked the puck up the left wall off a faceoff to Philp. Philp entered the offensive zone on the left wing and then feathered a pass to Hamaliuk streaking down the slot. Hamaliuk beat Myskiw through the legs for his sixth goal of the season.

Edmonton cut the T-Birds lead to one at 8:20 of the second on Liam Keeler’s goal.

The Oil Kings tied the game 3-3 at 8:20 of the second when Scott Atkinson scored.

Andrusiak put the T-Birds in front 4-3 with 20 seconds left in the second. Volcan worked the puck down the right-wing wall to Andrusiak, who skated to the low right circle and snapped a wrist shot over Myskiw’s left shoulder for his fourth goal of the season. Matthew Wedman had the second assist.

Noah Philp scored two power-play goals in 24 seconds early in the third period to give the T-Birds a 6-3 lead.

On the first one Lee took a wrist shot from the mid-point. The puck rebounded off Myskiw to the goalie’s left. Philp sprinted toward the loose puck and chipped it over a diving Myskiw at 2:13. Hamaliuk had the second assist.

Philp took a pass from Hamaliuk at the top of the right circle and skated toward Myskiw. Philp made a move right then whipped the puck through the goalie’s legs at 2:40. Lee had the second assist.

The T-Birds capped the scoring at 15:06 of the third on Andrusiak’s second goal of the game. Jaxan Kaluski made a power move through the right circle and put a backhand shot on goal. The puck rebounded off Myskiw to Andrusiak and he deposited behind the goalie. Volcan had the second assist.

Seattle outshot Edmonton 15-8 in the third period. The Oil Kings outshot the T-Birds 41-38 in the game.

Myskiw had 31 saves on 38 shots.

Up next

The T-Birds host the Tri-City Americans at 7:05 p.m. in the first 2-for-Tuesday game of the season. The promotion features two-for-one ticket and beer specials and $2 hot dogs, pop corn and soda.

Single-game tickets 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, Kubicek 3 (Lee, Kukuca), 3:40. 2, Edmonton, Kemp 7 (Souch, McLeod), 4:14. Penalties – Volcan, Sea (interference), 4:55. Lee, Sea (holding), 15:34.

Second period – 3, Seattle, Kubicek 4 (Lee, Mount), 3:26. 4, Seattle, Hamaliuk 6 (Philp, Bauer), 5:11 (sh). 5, Edmonton, Keeler 1 (Kemp, Souch), 8:20. 6, Edmonton, Atkinson 3 (Pavlenko, Alistrov) 16:53. 7, Seattle, Andrusiak 5 (Volcan, Wedman), 19:40. Penalties – Williams, Sea (tripping), 4:58.

Third period – 8, Seattle, Philp 5 (Hamaliuk, Lee), 2:13 (pp). 9, Seattle, Philp 6 (Lee, Hamaliuk), 2:41 (pp). 10, Seattle, Andrusiak 6 (Kaluski, Volcan), 15:06. Penalties – Lawson, Edm (hooking), 2:04. Fix-Wolansky, Edm (roughing), 2:32. Wedman, Sea (hooking), 7:12. Kemp, Edm (roughing), 8:47. Dowhaniuk, Edm (tripping), 11:06. Davidson, Sea (major-fighting), 18:43. Luypen, Edm (major-fighting), 18:43.

Shots on goal – Seattle 10-13-15 38, Edmonton 18-14-9 41. Goalies – Seattle, Hughes 41 shots-38 saves (5-1-0-0); Edmonton, Myskiw 38-31 (3-5-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 2-4; Edmonton 0-4. A – 3,656. Referees – Jeff Ingram, Ian Jendro. Linesmen – Trevor Beaton, Brett Mackey.