T-Birds down Giants for third straight win | WHL

For the Reporter

The Seattle Thunderbirds got two early first period goals from Lane Pederson and Ethan Bear and a score from Scott Eansor late in the third period to skate past the Vancouver Giants 3-2 at Pacific Coliseum on Sunday afternoon.

Seattle goalie Taran Kozun made 33 saves to backstop the T-Birds to the win and improve his record to 15-10-2-2. The T-Birds ended the game killing off a Giants’ six-on-four power play.

The T-Birds have won three games in row and play the Everett Silvertips at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday at the ShoWare Center. They are in Portland on Wednesday to face the Winterhawks on New Year’s Eve. That game starts at 8 p.m. at the Rose Garden.

Seattle (16-15-2-2) jumped out to early lead at 2:08 of the first period. Lane Pederson got the puck to the left of the Vancouver net and dragged it into the slot. Vancouver goalie Peyton Lee didn’t see Pederson get the puck and move into the slot. Lee was looking to his right when Pederson took a shot and beat the goalie on the glove side for his fifth of the season.

The T-Birds made it a 2-0 game on a power-play goal from Ethan Bear at 7:39 of the first. Justin Hickman sent the puck from the left corner to Bear at the left point. Bear crossed the puck to Jerret Smith at the right point. Smith sent it right back to Bear who one-timed a shot on goal. Bear’s shot beat Lee over the glove for his eighth of the year.

Vancouver (16-19-1-0) cut the T-Birds lead to one goal at 12:25 of the second period. Jackson Houck scored on a delayed penalty call on the T-Birds. Lee went to the bench for an extra attacker and the Giants were able to convert. Tyler Benson and Vladimir Bobylev had the assists.

Alex Baer scored at 8:28 of the third period to tie the game 2-2. Bobylev and Arvin Atwal had the assists on Baer’s ninth goal of the season.

Scott Eansor put the T-Birds in front 3-2 with 2:10 left in the game. Jared Hauf took a wrist shot from center ice inside the blue line. The puck rebounded to the left of Lee and right to Eansor. Eansor beat the goalie over the glove for the go-ahead goal. Keegan Kolesar had the second assist on the goal.

Tickets

T-Birds single game tickets for the 2014-15 season are 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 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. 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, Seattle, Pederson 5, 2:08. 2, Seattle, Bear 8 (Smith, Hickman), 7:39 (pp). Penalties – Bellerive, Van (slashing), 6:31. Kolesar, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 6:56. Geertsen, Van (unsportsmanlike conduct), 6:56. Eansor, Sea (high-sticking), 9:34. Osterman, Sea (major-fighting), 12:19. Odgers, Van (major-fighting), 12:19. Hauf, Sea (roughing), 17:01.

Second period – 3, Vancouver, Houck 13 (Benson, Bobylev), 12:25. Penalties – Kolesar, Sea (checking from behind), 8:59. Baer, Van (cross checking), 13:20. Thrower, Van (hooking), 14:12.

Third period – 4, Vancouver, Baer 8 (Bobylev, Atwal), 8:28. 5, Seattle, Eansor 5 (Hauf, Kolesar), 17:50. Penalties – Wardley, Sea (roughing), 4:43. Houck, Van (goaltender interference), 5:00. Kolesar, Sea (holding), 19:26. Eansor, Sea (roughing), 20:00. Hauf, Sea (roughing), 20:00. Geertsen, Van (roughing, misconduct), 20:00. Hamilton, Van (roughing), 20:00.

Shots on goal – Seattle 10-5-9 24, Vancouver 12-11-12 35. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 35 shots-33 saves (15-10-2-2); Vancouver, Lee 24-21 (11-12-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 1-4; Vancouver 0-5. A – 6,932. Referees – Ryan Benbow, Derek Zalaski. Linesmen – Devon Sephton, Ron Dietterle.