Winterhawks stop T-Birds in OT, take series | WHL playoffs

For the Reporter

The Portland Winterhawks defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-4 in overtime Tuesday night in Game 6 of their first-round Western Hockey League playoff series.

Portland’s win eliminated the T-Birds from the best-of-seven playoff series. Seattle went 38-25-4-5 and finished third in the U.S. Division this season, good enough for their third consecutive trip to the playoffs.

The Winterhawks will now face off against either the Everett Silvertips or Spokane Chiefs in the second round of the playoffs.

A lucky bounce off a Portland defender on a dump-in gave Mathew Barzal Seattle’s best chance of the first half of overtime. Barzal was forced to shoot early as the Portland defense reacted to the play and goalie Adin Hill was able to glove the shot.

Alexander True managed a backhanded rebound shot that nearly went in at 12:07. Hill was able to get his chest in front of the puck but couldn’t quite catch it, forcing him to fall on it as Seattle’s forwards crashed the net.

Cory Millette fired from in the faceoff dot at 13:54. His shot appeared to be going wide before taking a soft bounce off a Portland defender. Hill had to turn and jump onto the puck as it rolled toward the back of the net, just making it in time.

Nic Petan won the game for the Winterhawks at 19:01 with a shot from deep within the faceoff circle. The shot just barely made it over Seattle goaltender Taran Kozun’s glove-side shoulder and bounced off the inside of the crossbar for the goal.

Shots were 13-7 Portland in overtime.

Kozun stopped 36 of 41 shots but still came away with the loss. Hill won his fourth game of the series after making 46 saves on 50 shots.

Oliver Bjorkstrand scored on a rebound for Portland to make it 1-0.

Scott Eansor’s two-on-one breakaway ended with a goal to tie the game at 14:48.

Shots were 12-10 Seattle in the first period.

The Winterhawks scored again at 2:17 of the second, with Dominic Turgeon picking up the goal this time.

Bjorkstrand added a second goal at 3:23. The Danish winger’s shot from the side of the net squeaked between Kozun’s arm and the post for the goal.

Shea Theodore created on his own and ended up with a fantastic goal to make it 3-2. Theodore carried the puck into the zone on a line change and beat his defender. Theodore had enough room to skate across the crease and past Hill before calmly flipping the puck home. Jerret Smith and Evan Wardley assisted on the goal.

Millette tipped a Theodore point shot into the back of the net during a Seattle power play at 11:37. The play immediately went to review as to whether Millette had used a high stick to do so but was ruled a good goal, tying the game. Theodore and Barzal assisted. The assist gave Theodore two points in the period.

Shots were 16-14 Seattle in a second period that ended with the score tied 3-3.

Wardley’s shift to forward after Portland’s third goal continued to spark the T-Birds, who controlled the pace of the game with physical play up and down the ice. The Winterhawks didn’t record a shot on goal until 9:15 in the third period.

Portland took back the lead with a Miles Koules wraparound goal at 11:25. The goal was unassisted.

Eansor scored with 1:40 left in the game to tie it back up and keep the T-Birds’ season alive. Eansor skated in from the sideboards until he was between the bottom of the faceoff dot and the crease. From there, Eansor fired away and rifled the puck through Hill for his second goal of the night.

Seattle led in shots 15-4 in the third period.

PLAYOFF GLANCE

Seattle vs. Portland, first-round series

Game 1 – Seattle 4, at Portland 3
Game 2 – At Portland 3, Seattle 0
Game 3 – At Seattle 5, Portland 2
Game 4 – Portland 8, at Seattle 5
Game 5 – At Portland 5, Seattle 3
Game 6 – Portland 5, at Seattle 4 (OT)

GAME 6 SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Portland, Bjorkstrand 4 (Bittner, De Leo), 8:53. 2, Seattle, Eansor 4 (unassisted), 14:48. Penalties – Walter, Portland (checking from behind), 3:49. Heinrich, Portland (holding), 18:36.

Second period – 3, Portland, Turgeon 4 (Henry, Weinger), 2:17. 4, Portland, Bjorkstrand 5 (unassisted), 3:23. 5, Seattle, Theodore 3 (Smith, Wardley), 6:37. 6, Seattle, Millette 2 (Theodore, Barzal), 11:37 (pp). Penalties – Schoenborn, Portland (elbowing), 8:04. Wardley, Seattle (roughing), 8:04. Heinrich, Portland (hooking), 10:38.

Third period – 7, Portland, Koules 1 (unassisted), 11:25. 8, Seattle, Eansor 5 (Barzal, Theodore), 18:20. Penalties – Gropp, Seattle (holding), 1:07. Petan, Portland (hooking), 1:28.

Overtime – 9, Portland, Petan 5 (Koules, Viveiros), 19:01. Penalties – Gropp, Seattle (goaltender interference), 16:05.

Shots on goal – Seattle 12-16-15-7 50, Portland 10-14-4-13 41. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 41 shots-36 saves (2-3); Portland, Hill 50-46 (4-2). Power plays – Seattle 1-4; Portland 0-2. A – 5,088. Referees – Jeff Ingram, Reagan Vetter. Linesmen – Nathan Van Oosten, Ron Dietterle.