For the Reporter
The Seattle Thunderbirds earned the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoffs after beating the Tri-City Americans 6-1 at Kennewick on Sunday night.
Seattle’s first-round opponent, the Everett Silvertips, dropped a 5-4 shootout to the Winterhawks in Portland on Sunday, enabling the T-Birds to grab the No. 4 spot and home ice advantage in the best-of-seven Western Hockey League West series.
Games 1 and 2 are at the ShoWare Center this weekend.
Seattle (41-25-2-4) and Everett (39-23-7-3) each had 88 points in the playoff standings, but the T-Birds took the first tie-breaker on total number of wins.
This will be the first time the T-Birds and Silvertips have met in a playoff series since Everett joined the WHL as an expansion team in the 2003-04 season.
First-round schedule
Game 1 – Everett at Seattle Saturday, March 22, 7:05 p.m.
Game 2 – Seattle at Everett Sunday, March 23, 4:05 p.m.
Game 3 – Everett at Seattle Tuesday, March 25, 7:05 p.m.
Game 4 – Seattle at Everett Friday, March 28, 7:35 p.m.
Game 5 – Everett at Seattle Saturday, March 29, 7:05 p.m.*
Game 6 – Seattle at Everett Monday, March 31, 7:05 p.m.*
Game 7 – Everett at Seattle Wednesday, April 2, 7:05 p.m.*
* if necessary
Tickets are on sale today online at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The 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.
Regular-season finale
Against Tri-City, Seattle jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Shea Theodore’s power-play goal at 2:33 of the first period. Theodore put a slap shot on goal from the high point that beat Tri-City goalie Evan Sarthou low for his 21st goal of the season. Ryan Gropp and Branden Troock had the assists.
Theodore’s goal was his 44th as a T-Bird and tied him with Deron Quint for most goals by a T-Birds defenseman. Quint had 44 goals for the T-Birds over the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons.
The T-Birds extended the lead to 2-0 at 9:55 of the first on Alexander Delnov’s power-play goal. Theodore gained the Americans zone and then dished the puck to Delnov going into the left circle. The pass sent Delnov in alone on Sarthou from an angle. Delnov beat the goalie with a backhand shot over the glove.
Tri-City (29-33-4-6) got on the board at 1:31 of the second period when Morgan Geekie redirected a shot past Seattle goalie Taran Kozun. Parker Wotherspoon and Justin Hamonic had the assists.
The T-Birds took the two-goal lead back at 6:17 of the second on a goal from Mitch Elliot. Kolesar centered the puck to Elliot and he banged the puck past Sarthou for his fourth goal of the season.
The T-Birds scored two goals in 56 seconds in the first part of the third period to take a 6-1 lead. Theodore beat Sarthou with a wrist shot from along the left boards at 4:12 of the third. Delnov and Elliot had the assists. The goal gave Theodore the team record for career goals by a defenseman with 45.
Troock scored an unassisted goal at 5:08 of the third to make it a 6-1 lead. Troock dumped the puck into the Americans zone and chased it down behind the net. Sarthou came out to play the puck but lost control of it and Troock got it. Troock came out from behind the net at the left post and put it into an empty net.
Justin Hickman scored at 11:51 of the second to get the T-Birds fourth goal of the game. Jared Hauf moved the puck to Hickman who skated into the right circle. Hickman beat Sarthou through the legs for the goal. Mathew Barzal had the second assist.
The T-Birds outshot Tri-City 30-19 in the game.
Kozun made 18 saves on 19 shots and his record is now 19-28-2-2.
Sarthou made 24 saves on 30 shots and his record is 3-8-0-1 with the loss.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Theodore 21 (Gropp, Troock), 2:33 (pp). 2, Delnov 29 (Theodore), 9:55 (pp). Penalties – Gutierrez, Tri (instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 2:16. Henry, Sea (major-fighting), 2:16. McCue, Tri (tripping), 8:59.
Second period – 4, Seattle, Elliot 4 (Kolesar), 6:17. 5, Seattle, Hickman 22 (Hauf, Barzal), 11:51. Missed Penalty Shot – Troock, Sea, 5:15. Penalties – No penalties.
Third period – 5, Seattle, Theodore 22 (Delnov, Elliot), 4:12. 6, Seattle, Troock 24, 5:08. Missed Penalty Shot – Bowles, Tri, 13:58. Penalties – Eansor, Sea (hooking), :21. Topping, Tri (tripping), 14:15.
Shots on goal – Seattle 11-7-12 30, Tri-City 7-8-4 19. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 19 shots-18 saves (19-28-2-2); Tri-City, Sarthou 30-24 (3-8-0-1). Power plays – Seattle 2-3; Tri-City 0-1. A – 4,890. Referees – Jeff Ingram, Brett Montsion. Linesmen – Jason Michelbook, Bevan Mills.
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