For the Reporter
Keegan Kolesar had two goals and an assist to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds past the Everett Silvertips 4-2 for their fourth straight win on Tuesday night in front of a sellout crowd of 6, 219 at the ShoWare Center in Kent.
Seattle is 17-15-2-2 in the Western Hockey League and passes the Tri-City Americans in the standings, moving to fourth in the U.S. Division. Everett dropped to 21-11-3-1.
Danny Mumaugh got the start in goal for Seattle and made 28 saves on 30 shots. Mumaugh is now 2-4-0-0. In goal for Everett was Austin Lotz, whose loss moved his record to 16-8-1-1. Lotz had 21 saves on 25 shots.
Lane Pederson scored his sixth goal of the season to give the T-Birds a 1-0 lead in the first period.
Dawson Leedahl tied the game back up less than a minute later. Leedahl took the puck from deep in the zone and skated across the face of the goal as Seattle’s defense chased him. Leedahl’s backhand shot hit the bottom of the crossbar after going over Mumaugh’s glove hand and landed in the net for the goal.
Kolesar made it 2-1 with a power-play goal for Seattle, taking advantage of a swath of open ice as the second period began. The home team put the pressure on during a man advantage, denying Everett a needed line change. After two shifts of this stifling pressure, Justin Hickman took a shot from the bottom of the face-off circle that rebounded out in front of the crease. Kolesar was there to put the puck home. The winger’s shot just barely bounced through Lotz’s pads at 7:32 to give Seattle the lead. Hickman and Ethan Bear had the assists, giving Bear two on the night.
Mumaugh’s strong play continued on an Everett power play in the last two minutes of the second period. The Seattle goalie fought off two shots as well as a rebound in the slot before diving across the crease to cover up the puck as it bounded toward a waiting Silvertip attacker. The T-Birds’ defense took over from there, clearing the puck twice to end the power play.
Kolesar scored for Seattle quickly in the third period, making it 3-1 at 1:36. After Mumaugh made a series of saves on the doorstep, the T-Birds rushed up the ice for a two-on-two opportunity. Ryan Gropp fed a pass to Kolesar, who was just outside the edge of the crease. The goal, coming as Lotz tried to slide into position, was Kolesar’s second of the night. Gropp and Hickman had the assists.
Everett scored at 8:30 to make it a one-goal game again. Nikita Scherbak took a point shot that rocketed through traffic. Mumaugh couldn’t get a bead on the puck until it was too late, giving the Silvertips their first power-play goal on five chances in the game. Ben Betker assisted on the goal.
A two-man advantage was short-lived thanks to Bear, who potted his ninth goal of the season. Lotz made a lunging attempt to knock the high shot away, but to no avail. Kolesar had the secondary assist on the goal, giving him a three-point night and the T-Birds a 4-2 lead.
Seattle travels to Portland on Wednesday night for a game against the Winterhawks at 8 pm. After that, the T-Birds will play at home against the Tri-City Americans on Friday at 7:35 pm.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Pederson 6 (Khaira, Bear), 14:55. 2, Everett, Leedahl 2 (Bauml), 15:42. Penalties – Pfeifer, Everett (interference), 1:54. Volcan, Seattle (tripping), 8:12.
Second period – 3, Seattle, Kolesar 12 (Hickman, Bear), 7:32 (pp). Penalties – Wardley, Seattle (slashing), 3:38. Low, Everett (interference), 5:51. MacDonald, Everett (major-fighting), 9:48. Osterman, Seattle (major-fighting), 9:48. Hauf, Seattle (elbowing), 17:48.
Third period – 4, Seattle, Kolesar 13 (Gropp, Hickman), 1:36. 5, Everett, Scherbak 18 (Betker), 8:30 (pp). 6, Seattle, Bear 9 (Smith, Kolesar), 10:57 (pp). Penalties – Hickman, Seattle (slashing), 4:34. Kolesar, Seattle (kneeing), 6:53. Stadnyk, Everett (goaltender interference), 9:26. Leedahl, Everett (checking from behind), 10:22.
Shots on goal – Seattle 8-9-8 25, Everett 9-12-9 30. Goalies – Seattle, Mumaugh 30 shots-28 saves (2-4-0-0); Everett, Lotz 25-21 (16-8-1-1). Power plays – Seattle 2-4; Everett 1-5. A – 6,219. Referees – Tyler Adair, Kevin Bennett. Linesmen – Jacob Hill, Nathan Van Oosten.
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