T-Birds shoot down Winterhawks in Kent

Jonathan Parker and Prab Rai each had two goals to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 5-3 victory over the Portland Winter Hawks before a season high 6,138 at ShoWare Center Saturday night.

The T-Birds improve to 31-29-1-3 are tied for fifth place in the Western Conference playoff standings with the Kamloops Blazers. They face the Everett Silvertips at 5:05 p.m. on Sunday at ShoWare Center.

Seattle took a 1-0 lead at 2:10 of the first period on a goal by Rai. Rai skated into the slot and beat Portland goalie Kurtis Mucha with a quick snap shot for his 22nd goal of the year. Stefan Warg and Thomas Hickey assisted on the goal.

The T-Birds took a 2-0 lead at 17:53 of the first on Parker’s 15th goal of the year. Greg Scott and Hickey passed the puck back and forth crossing the Portland blue line. Scott centered the puck to Parker coming down the slot. Parker put a quick shot on goal that Mucha stopped. The puck came back to Parker and he backhanded the puck into the Portland net.

Portland (16-43-2-2) outshot Seattle 10-9 in the first period.

Mucha left at 13:40 of the second period with an injury. He made 17 saves on 19 shots. Mucha was replaced by Keith Hamilton.

The T-Birds went in front 3-0 on a power-play goal by Charles Wells at 15:14 of the second. Warg had the puck at the left point and sent it to Jeremy Boyer along the left boards. Boyer passed the puck to Wells along the goal line to the left of the goal. Wells started toward the back of the net then made a quick stop and came back to the left post. Wells jammed the puck under Hamilton’s right leg for his third goal of the year.

Radim Valchar scored a power-play goal at 16:49 of the second to get the Winter Hawks on the board. Luke Walker and Chris Francis had the assists.

Seattle outshot Portland 14-6 in the second period and led 23-16 in shots going into the second intermission.

Parker scored his second on the night at 1:38 of the third period to put the T-Birds in front by three goals. Hickey and Rai had assists on the goal.

Ty Rattie scored at 8:12 of the third to get Portland’s second goal of the night. Francis and Walker had the assists.

Oliver Gabriel scored at 14:55 of the third to get the Winter Hawks to within one goal. Colin Reddin and Taylor Peters had the assists on the goal.

Rai added an unassisted shorthanded empty-net goal at 19:58 of the third to ice the game.

Seattle outshot Portland 14-10 in the third period and 37-26 in the game.

Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard stopped 23 of 26 shots to get his 20th win of the season. His record is now 20-13-1-3.

Hamilton made 15 saves on 17 shots and his record is now 1-5-0-0.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Rai 22 (Warg, Hickey), 2:10. 2, Seattle, Parker 15 (Scott, Hickey), 17:53. Penalties – Jordan, Por (cross checking), 1:10. LeBlanc, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 1:10. Mucha, Por (delay of game), 6:40. Ponich, Por (roughing), 12:39. Ross, Por (roughing), 12:39. Scott, Sea (roughing), 12:39.

Second period – 3, Seattle, Wells 3 (Boyer, Warg), 15:14 (pp). 4, Portland, Valchar 17 (Walker, Francis), 16:49 (pp). Penalties – Ehrhardt, Por (holding), 7:57. Richard, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 10:45. Morrow, Por (elbowing), 13:40. Jordan, Por (10-minute misconduct), 13:40. Boyer, Sea (interference), 15:46. Ponich, Por (major-fighting), 16:50. LeBlanc, Sea (major-fighting), 17:14. Schneider, Por (major-fighting), 17:14. Cloud, Sea (major-fighting), 17:14.

Third period – 5, Seattle, Parker 16 (Hickey, Rai), 1:38. 6, Portland, Rattie 1 (Francis, Walker), 8:12. 7, Portland, Gabriel 4 (Reddin, Peters), 14:55. 8, Seattle, Rai 23, 19:58 (en/sh). Penalties – Jordan, Por (hooking), 9:42. Wells, Sea (hooking), 18:17.

Shots on goal – Seattle 9-14-14 37. Portland 10-6-10 26. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 26 shots-23 saves (20-13-1-3); Portland, Mucha 19-17, Hamilton 17-15 (1-5-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 1-5; Portland 1-3 A – 6,138. Referee – Jason Nissen, Steve Papp. Linesmen – Trevor Boudreau, Kevin Boris.