Luke Lockhart scored a shorthanded goal 1:56 into overtime Sunday night at the ShoWare Center to give the Seattle Thunderbirds a 2-1 overtime victory over the Vancouver Giants.
The win moves the T-Birds two points ahead of the Everett Silvertips and into sole possession of seventh place in the Western Conference playoff standings. The T-Birds next game is 6:05 p.m. Saturday against the Silvertips at the ShoWare Center.
Lockhart blocked a Vancouver shot with his back in the slot and the puck went to Seth Swenson in the left circle. Swenson carried the puck up ice into the neutral zone while Lockhart got up and skated hard down center ice. Swenson spotted Lockhart and made a crisp pass to the T-Birds captain. The puck got by a Vancouver defender and put Lockhart in alone against Vancouver goalie Payton Lee. Lockhart faked forehand, brought the puck to his backhand and put it through Lee’s legs for the game-winning goal.
Both teams had nine shots on goal in the first period.
Seattle (21-32-6-1) took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Alexander Delnov at 5:32 of the second period. Shea Theodore saved the puck from leaving the offensive zone at center ice. He moved the puck to Connor Honey at the top of the left circle. Honey sent the puck to Delnov in the right circle. Delnov hesitated then snapped a shot on goal. The puck snuck through Vancouver goalie Payton Lee’s legs and slowly slid cross the goal line.
Vancouver (15-43-2-0) tied the game 1-1 at 19:11 of the second when Brendan Rouse scored just after a Giants power play ended. Luca Leone and Tyler Morrison had the assists on the goal.
The T-Birds outshot the Giants 12-9 in the second period and led 21-18 in shots after two periods.
Seattle outshot Vancouver 14-8 in the third period and 36-29 overall in the game.
Seattle goalie Brandon Glover made 28 saves on 29 shots and his record is now 20-24-4-1.
Lee stopped 34 of 36 shots and his record is now 9-18-1-0.
The T-Bird and Giants square off on Sunday, February 24, at 2pm at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver.
T-Birds 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.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – No scoring. Penalties – Sward, Van (slashing), 1:14. Elliot, Sea (interference), 9:44.
Second period – 1, Seattle, Delnov 19 (Theodore, Honey), 5:32 (pp). 2, Vancouver 11 (Leone, Morrison), 19:11. Penalties – Swenson, Sea (tripping), :36. McEvoy, Van (tripping), 5:05. Morrison, Van (roughing), 8:23. Green, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 8:23. Johnson, Sea (roughing), 8:23. Hauf, Sea (tripping), 17:08.
Third period – No scoring. Penalties – Zalitach, Van (boarding), 9:41. Rouse, Van (tripping), 16:37. Smith, Sea (double minor-high sticking), 18:33.
Overtime – 3, Seattle, Lockhart 17 (Swenson), 1:56 (sh). Penalties – No penalties.
Shots on goal – Seattle 9-12-14-1 36, Vancouver 9-9-8-3 29. Goalies – Seattle, Glover 29 shots-28 saves (20-24-4-1); Vancouver, Lee 36-34 (9-18-1-0). Power plays – Seattle 1-4; Vancouver 0-6. A – 5,092. Referees – Adam Byblow, Reagan Vetter. Linesmen – Kevin Boris, Ryan Gibbons.
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