T-Birds scramble back to down Royals | WHL

Published 11:03 am Saturday, November 14, 2015

The Seattle Thunderbirds scored four goals in the third period to erase a two-goal deficit and beat the Victoria Royals 4-2 in Western Hockey League play in British Columbia on Friday night.

The second game of the back-to-back series in Victoria begins at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.

Seattle improves to 11-6-1-0 and remains in first place in the U.S. Division, two points ahead of the Spokane Chiefs.

Logan Flodell made 17 saves to help the T-Birds snap the Royals’ six-game winning streak. Flodell improved his record to 7-3-1-0.

Victoria (14-6-0-1) took a 1-0 lead at 5:09 of the first period. Jack Walker beat Seattle Flodell over the blocker from the right circle. Alex Forsberg and Tyler Soy had the assists.

Ryan Gagnon put the Royals in front 2-0 at the 11-minute mark of the second period with a four-on-four goal.

The T-Birds comeback started at 3:31 of the third period. Jerret Smith took a shot from the point that missed the net and came to Keegan Kolesar along the right boards. Kolesar skated into the right circle and put a backhand shot on net with Ryan Gropp screening Victoria goalie Coleman Vollrath. Kolesar’s shot beat Vollrath low on the glove side for his team leading 13th goal of the season. Jared Hauf had the second assist.

Gropp tied the game 2-2 at 11:56 of the third. Ethan Bear sent the puck from the right point to Mathew Barzal at the bottom of the right circle. Barzal held the puck then centered it to Gropp above the right circle hash marks. Gropp snapped the puck past Vollrath low on the blocker side for the tying goal.

The T-Birds took the lead 52 seconds after the tying goal. Matthew Wedman dug the puck out of the right corner and got it to Smith at the right point. Smith took a wrist shot with Nolan Volcan standing in front of Vollrath. Volcan tipped the puck past Vollrath to get the T-Birds a 3-2 lead.

Alexander True sealed the win at 16:44 of the third with a power-play goal. Barzal sent the puck to Bear at center ice inside the blue line. Bear took a slap shot with True in front of Vollrath. True tipped Bear’s shot past the goalie for his ninth goal of the season.

The T-Birds limited the Royals to two shots in the third period while getting 12 shots. They outshot the Royals 35-19 in the game.

Vollrath stopped 31 shots and his record is now 12-6-0-1.

Coming home

The T-Birds’ next home game is a Directors Mortgage 2-for-Tuesday game against the Swift Current Broncos on Nov. 17 at the ShoWare Center. Face-off is 7:05 p.m.

Game tickets fare available online at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday 10 am to 5 pm Saturday game days at 10 am 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, Victoria, Walker 6 (Forsberg, Soy), 5:09. Penalties – Osterman, Sea (major-fighting), 9:54. Thompson, Vic (major-fighting), 9:54. Kolesar, Sea (interference), 10:28. Forsberg, Vic (tripping), 12:41.

Second period – 2, Victoria, Gagnon 1 (Hannoun), 11:00. Penalties – Dmytriw, Vic (boarding), 8:40. Reddekopp, Vic (delay of game), 9:38. Hicketts, Vic (roughing), 10:49. Fisher, Vic (roughing), 10:49. Kolesar, Sea (roughing), 10:49. True, Sea (double minor-roughing), 10:49.

Third period – 3, Seattle, Kolesar 13 (Smith, Hauf), 3:31. 4, Seattle, Gropp 9 (Barzal, Bear), 11:56. 5, Seattle, Volcan 6 (Smith, Wedman), 12:48. 6, Seattle, True 9 (Bear, Barzal), 16:44 (pp). Penalties – Pachal, Vic (high-sticking), 5:09. Phillips, Vic (tripping), 16:26.

Shots on goal – Seattle 12-11-12 35, Victoria 5-12-2 19. Goalies – Seattle, Flodell 19 shots-17 saves (7-3-1-0); Victoria, Vollrath 35-31 (12-6-0-1). Power plays – Seattle 1-5; Victoria 0-2. A – 5,138. Referees – Adam Griffiths, Sean Raphael. Linesmen – Riley Friessen, Jeff MacAdams.