Portland downs T-Birds 6-3 Feb. 5

The Portland Winterhawks defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-3 Friday night at the Rose Garden in Portland.

This was the first game of a home-and-home series between the two teams. They will meet Saturday night at 7:05 p.m. at ShoWare Center in the second game.

The T-Birds took a 1-0 lead on Prab Rai’s 30th goal of the year. Tanner Muth blocked a Portland shot and Rai got to the loose puck just inside the Seattle blue line. Rai sprinted up ice with one Portland defender in front of him. As Rai crossed the Portland blue line he played the puck left to right through the defenders legs and skated around him. Rai then came in on Winterhawks goalie Mac Carruth, made a move to the goalie’s right and beat him low past an outstretched leg.

Portland (33-20-2-1) outshot Seattle 16-5 in the first period.

The Winterhawks tied the game 1-1 at 8:55 of the second period on a power-play goal by Nino Niederreiter. Taylor Aronson and Troy Rutkowski had assists on the goal.

Portland took a 2-1 lead on a goal by Ty Rattie at 10:18 of the second. Taylor Wotherspoon and Chris Francis assisted on the goal.

Luca Sbisa scored a power-play goal at 15:45 of the second to put Portland in front 3-1. Eric Doyle and Chris Francis had assists on the goal.

Seattle (14-30-5-4) cut the Portland lead to one goal with four seconds left in the second period. Ryan Aasman sent the puck from the left point to Jeremy Schappert at the right point. Schappert put a slap shot on goal with traffic in front of Carruth that beat the goalie glove side. Brenden Silvester had the second assist on Schappert’s 10th goal of the year.

The Winterhawks outshot the T-Birds 15-7 in the second period and led 31-12 in total shots after 40 minutes.

Portland went in front 4-2 at 6:03 of the third period on an unassisted goal by Ryan Johansen.

Seattle got back to within one goal at 9:58 of the third. Charles Wells carried the puck down the left wing on his backhand. He cut through the left circle and put a quick backhand shot on goal. Wells shot beat Carruth over his left shoulder and just under the cross bar. Schappert and Rai had assists on the goal.

Niederreiter scored at 11:33 of the third to put the Winterhawks back in front by two goals. Joe Morrow had the only assist on the goal.

Stefan Schneider added an empty-net goal at 19:37 of the third to get the Winterhawks sixth goal. Spencer Bennett had the only assist on the goal.

Portland outshot Seattle 15-9 in the third period and 46-21 in the game.

Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard made 40 saves on 45 shots and his record is now 12-26-5-4.

Carruth made 18 saves on 21 shots and his record is now 6-7-1-0.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Rai 30 (Muth), 19:24 (sh). Penalties – Ross, Por (major-fighting), 4:57. Aasman, Sea (major-fighting), 4:57. Schappert, Sea (tripping), 6:22. Ramsay, Sea (roughing), 6:22. Boychuk, Por (roughing), 6:22. Rutkowski, Por (interference), 15:40. Aasman, Sea (holding), 17:28. Dillon, Sea (major-fighting), 19:58. Gabriel, Por (major- fighting), 19:58.

Second period – 2, Portland, Niederreiter 29 (Aronson, Rutkowski), 8:55 (pp). 3, Portland, Rattie 14 (Wotherspoon, Francis), 10:18. 4, Portland, Sbisa 3 (Doyle, Francis), 15:45 (pp). 5, Seattle, Schappert 10 (Aasman, Silvester), 19:56 (pp). Penalties – Silvester, Sea (major-fighting), 3:00. Ross, Por (major-fighting), 3:00. Elliot, Sea (cross checking), 7:24. Bonsor, Sea (tripping), 15:15. Gabriel, Por (unsportsmanlike conduct), 17:09. Johansen, Por (high-sticking), 19:16.

Third period – 6, Portland, Johansen 20, 6:03. 7, Seattle, Wells (Schappert, Rai), 9:58. 8, Portland, Niederreiter 30 (Morrow), 11:33. 9, Portland, Schneider 9 (Bennett), 19:37 (en). Penalties – Aasman, Sea (interference), 13:43.

Shots on goal – Seattle 5-7-9 21. Portland 16- 15-15 46. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 45 shots- 40 saves (12-26-5-4); Portland, Carruth 21-18 (6-7-1- 0). Power plays – Seattle 1-3; Portland 2-5. A – 9,018. Referee – Brett Iverson, Nathan Wieler. Linesmen – Ron Dietterle, Chris Sweeting.