T-Birds fall to Moose Jaw on East trip | WHL

For the Reporter

The Moose Jaw Warriors defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-2 Wednesday night at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

The T-Birds are 1-2-0-0 on their six-game road trip to the Western Hockey League’s East Division.

Seattle continues the road trip at the Brandon Wheat Kings at 5:30 p.m. Friday. The T-Birds are at Regina Pats on Saturday (5 p.m. face-off) and at the Swift Current Broncos on Sunday (2 p.m.).

At Moose Jaw, Seattle (8-8-2-1) took a 1-0 lead 4:03 into the first period on the power play. Ethan Bear sent the puck from the right point to Ryan Gropp along the right boards. Gropp centered the puck to Alexander True on top of the crease. True beat Moose Jaw goalie Justin Paulic on the stick side for his fifth goal of the season.

Moose Jaw (8-10-1-1) tied the game 1-1 at 14:37 of the first on an unassisted goal from Jiri Smejkal. The goal came on a scramble in front of Seattle goalie Taran Kozun right after the T-Birds killed off a penalty.

The T-Birds outshot the Warriors 8-5 in the first period.

The Warriors took a 2-1 lead on an unassisted goal by Kolten Olynek at 1:47 of the second period. Olynek took advantage of a T-Birds turnover to get the Warriors the lead.

Jack Rodewald made it a 3-1 Warriors lead at 5:12 of the second. Blake Bargar and Brent Howden had the assists.

Moose Jaw took a 4-1 lead when Brayden Point scored on a breakaway at 9:06 of the second. Rodewald and former T-Bird Jaimen Yakubowski had the assists.

Seattle replaced Kozun with Danny Mumaugh after the fourth Moose Jaw goal. Kozun made four saves on eight shots. Kozun’s record is now 8-5-2-1 with the loss.

Nick Holowko cut the Warriors lead to two goals at 3:40 of the third period. Holowko tipped a shot by Calvin Spencer along the right boards over Paulic’s shoulder.

The Warriors took the three-goal lead back nine seconds later when Howden scored on a two-on-one break. Torrin White had the assist on the goal.

Dustin Perillat made it a 6-2 game for the Warriors at 4:45 of the third. Linden Penner had the only assist on the goal.

Seattle outshot Moose Jaw 9-7 in the third period and 33-20 in the game.

Mumaugh stopped seven of nine shots he faced in 31 minutes of action.

Paulic got his first win of the season stopping 31of 33 shots.

Shea returns

Shea Theodore returned to the T-Birds’ lineup on Wednesday. He injured his elbow at the training camp of the Anaheim Ducks and just finished a conditioning assignment with the Norfolk Admirals of the AHL.

The Ducks selected Theodore in the first round of the 2013 NHL Draft.

Tickets

Game tickets 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, True 5 (Gropp, Bear), 4:03. 2, Moose Jaw, Smejkal 1, 14:37. Penalties – Howden, MJ (hooking), 3:54. Gropp, Sea (holding opponents stick), 10:56. Hauf, Sea (high-sticking), 12:35. Hickman, Sea (hooking), 15:58.

Second period – 3, Moose Jaw, Olynek 3, 1:47. 4, Moose Jaw, Rodewald 11 (Bargar, Howden), 5:12. 5, Moose Jaw, Point 9 (Rodewald, Yakubowski), 9:06. Penalties – Bargar, MJ (roughing), 3:05. Eansor, Sea (roughing), 3:05. Perillat, MJ (hooking), 11:37. Brown, MJ (tripping), 12:39. Yakubowski, MJ (slashing), 16:01.

Third period – 6, Seattle, Holowko 2 (Spencer), 3:40. 7, Moose Jaw, Howden 6 (White), 3:49. 8, Moose Jaw, Perillat 1, 4:45. Penalties – Gardiner, MJ (delay of game), 13:01. Jensen, MJ (tripping), 14:52.

Shots on goal – Seattle 8-16-9 33, Moose Jaw 5-8-7 20. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 11 shots-7 saves (8-5-2-1), Mumaugh 9-7; Moose Jaw, Paulic 33-31 (1-4-0-1). Power plays – Seattle 1-6; Moose Jaw 0-3. A – 3,107. Referees – Mike Campbell, Patrick Gagnon. Linesmen – Troy Murray, Tarrington Wyonzek.