Thunderbirds erupt late to capture road win | WHL

By Seattle score five goals in 6:38 of third to defeat Raiders 5-2 • November 3, 2016 12:30 pm
The Thunderbirds’ Nolan Volcan ignited the third-period scoring surge. COURTESY PHOTO, Thunderbirds

The Seattle Thunderbirds exploded for five goals in 6:38 of the third period to defeat the Prince Albert Raiders 5-2 in a Western Hockey League game Wednesday night at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

This was the T-Birds fourth game on a six-game road trip through the East Division. They are 3-1-0-0 on the trip so far. The T-Birds will play the Brandon Wheat Kings on Friday and the Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday to finish out the road trip.

The T-Birds, trailing 2-0 entering the third period, scored three goals in 40 seconds starting at 4:26 of the period and then two goals in 54 seconds starting at 10:10.

Nolan Volcan started the scoring at 4:26 of the third period. Sami Moilanen skated around the Raiders net from right to left and found Volcan in the high slot with a pass. Volcan beat Prince Albert goalie Ian Scott over the glove.

The T-Birds tied the game 17 seconds after Volcan’s goal when Ryan Gropp found the back of the net. Matthew Wedman got to a loose puck in the left circle and took a shot. Scott made the save but Gropp was on top of the crease to backhand the puck past the goalie.

The two goals in 17 seconds were the fastest two goals scored by the T-Birds this season.

Dillon Hamaliuk completed the three goals in 40 seconds when he scored at 5:06 of the period. Jarret Tyszka chipped the puck off the glass from the defensive zone to the offensive zone. Alexander True chased the puck down the right wing. True crossed the puck from the right circle to Hamaliuk coming down the slot. Hamaliuk beat Scott over the blocker as the goalie lunged across the crease to try and make the save. The goal was Hamaliuk’s first career goal.

The three goals in 40 seconds were the fastest three goals scored by the T-Birds this season.

Seattle (6-6-0-1) made it a 4-2 lead on an unassisted goal from Ian Briscoe at 10:10 of the third. Briscoe was in the high slot and got a loose puck and fired it through a lot of traffic at Scott. Briscoe’s shot beat Scott over the glove for his second goal of the season.

Sami Moilanen scored at 11:04 of the third to get the T-Birds fifth goal of the game. Volcan took a shot that Scott stopped and then Eansor banged at the rebound. The puck went into the low slot where Moilanen got it and put it over the goalie for his fourth goal of the season.

The Raiders replaced Scott with Nicholas Sanders after the fifth Seattle goal. Scott made 30 saves on 35 shots.

Prince Albert (4-12-1-0) took a 1-0 lead at 12:03 of the first period on a goal from Luke Coleman. Loch Morrison and Sean Montgomery had the assists.

The Raiders extended the lead to 2-0 at 13:41 of the first when Parker Kelly scored. Nic Holowko had the only assist.

The T-Birds outshot the Raiders 44-27 in the game.

Seattle goalie Rylan Toth made 25 saves on 27 shots and his record is now 5-6-0-0.

Sanders stopped all nine shots he faced.

Back home Nov. 11

The T-Birds’ next home game is Friday, Nov. 11, against the Calgary Hitmen at 7:35 p.m. at ShoWare Center.

Single-game tickets may be purchased online or at the ShoWare Center box office.

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

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Prince Albert, Coleman 5 (Morrison, Montgomery), 12:03. 2, Prince Albert, Kelly (Holowko), 13:41. Penalties – Andrusiak, PA (goaltender interference), 2:29. Volcan, Sea (roughing), 12:16. Leth, Sea (roughing), 12:16. Vanstone, PA (tripping), 19:29.

Second period – No scoring. Penalties – Heid, PA (interference), 8:24. Ottenbreit, Sea (roughing), 11:24. Vanstone, PA (roughing), 11:24. Leth, PA (high sticking), 12:01. Ottenbreit, Sea (holding opponents stick), 14:48. Hamaliuk, Sea (cross checking), 17:26.

Third period – 3, Seattle, Volcan 4 (Moilanen), 4:26. 4, Seattle, Gropp 2 (Wedman), 4:43. 5, Seattle, Hamaliuk 1 (True, Tyszka), 5:06. 6, Seattle, Briscoe 2, 10:10. 7, Seattle, Moilanen 4 (Eansor), 11:04. Penalties – Vanstone, PA (major-fighting), 5:39. Schuldhaus, Sea (major-fighting), 5:39. Ottenbreit, Sea (interference), 7:20. Morrison, PA (tripping), 11:40. Ottenbreit, Sea (roughing), 14:46. Warkentine, PA (boarding), 14:46. Wedman, Sea (interference),19:41.

Shots on goal – Seattle 8-12-24 44, Prince Albert 11-9-7 27. Goalies – Seattle, Toth 27 shots-25 saves (5-6-0-0); Prince Albert, Scott 35-30 (4-7-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-5; Prince Albert 0-5. A – 1,975. Referees – Bryce Sebastian, Reagan Vetter. Linesmen – Javan Baxson, Bob Schrader.