Zack Andrusiak had a hat trick to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 7-4 Western Hockey League win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, on Sunday night.
The T-Birds, 2-1-0-0 midway through their six-game road trip through the Central Division, play the Red Deer Rebels at 6 p.m. Wednesday, the Edmonton Oil Kings at 6 p.m. Thursday and the Medicine Hat Tigers at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Andrusiak had two goals in the second period and one goal in the third period to get the hat trick. His last two goals were both scored on the power play. The T-Birds have two hat tricks this season. Sami Moilanen had a hat trick in a 5-1 win over Prince George on Sept. 29.
Seattle goalie Liam Hughes had 17 saves on 21 shots and his record improves to 3-2-0-0.
Defensemen Jarret Tyszka and Austin Strand each had two assists and Sami Moilanen had a goal and an assist in the win.
Seattle (7-5-0-1) tied the game 1-1 at 3:32 of the first. Moilanen took a shot from the left circle that rebounded off Lethbridge goalie Reece Klassen into slot. Nolan Volcan snapped the rebound past Klassen on the stick side for his third goal of the season. Tyszka had the second assist.
The Hurricanes took a 2-1 lead at 9:24 of the first. A shot from Tate Olson rebounded off Hughes and over his head and landed in the crease. Josh Tarzwell poked the puck into the net for the go-ahead goal.
The T-Birds took a 3-2 lead with two goals 1:29 apart at the start of the second period.
Donovan Neuls took a pass from Strand to create a three-on-two break for the T-Birds. Neuls beat Klassen with a wrist shot from the left circle at 1:07 of the second to tie the game 2-2.
Moilanen beat Klassen with a backhand at 2:36 of the second to give the T-Birds a 3-2 lead. Andrusiak had the puck behind the Hurricanes net and centered it to Moilanen in the high slot. Moilanen whiffed on his initial shot but got the puck back and put it past a sprawling Klassen.
Andrusiak scored two goals 3:27 apart to give the T-Birds 5-2 lead going into the second intermission.
The Hurricanes were pressing in the T-Birds zone for several minutes before Andrusiak’s first goal. Elijah Brown got a loose puck to Andrusiak who skated up the right wing. Andrusiak skated into the right circle and beat Klassen over the right shoulder with a wrist shot at 12:37.
Andrusiak struck for his second goal at 16:04 on the power play. Reece Harsch passed the puck from the left boards to Turner Ottenbreit at center ice. Ottenbreit crossed the puck to Andrusiak in the right circle. Andrusiak one-timed the pass and beat Klassen over the glove as the goalie slid over to try and make the save.
Ottenbreit gave the T-Birds a 6-2 lead at 6:24 of the third period with an unassisted power-play goal.
Andrusiak completed the hat trick at 19:22 of the third.
Looking ahead
The T-Birds’ next home after the Central Division road trip is Friday, Nov. 10, against the Tri-City Americans at accesso ShoWare Center at 7:35 p.m.
Single-game tickets are on sale online on the T-Birds website and at the accesso ShoWare Center box office.
Season tickets may be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Lethbridge, Vandervlis 4 (Zudilov, Bellerive), 1:33. 2, Seattle, Volcan 3 (Moilanen, Tyszka), 3:32. 3, Lethbridge, Tarzwell 1 (Olson), 9:24. Penalties – Bargar, Sea (major-fighting), :08. Franklin, Let (major-fighting), :08. Huo, Sea (interference), 3:57.
Second period – 4, Seattle, Neuls 4 (Strand), 1:07. 5, Seattle, Moilanen 10 (Andrusiak), 2:36. 6, Seattle, Andrusiak 4 (Brown), 12:37. 7, Seattle, Andrusiak 5 (Ottenbreit, Harsch), 16:04 (pp). Penalties – Elmer, Let (cross checking), 6:22. Riddle, Let (slashing), 14:35.
Third period – 8, Seattle, Ottenbreit 1, 6:24 (pp). 9, Lethbridge, Estephan 5 (Olson, Zudilov), 9:36 (pp). 10, Lethbridge, Vandervlis 5 (Cozens, Estephan), 18:09. 11, Seattle, Andrusiak 6 (Strand, Tyszka), 19:22 (pp). Penalties – Joseph, Let (checking from behind), 5:13. Lee, Sea (tripping), 8:18. Strand, Sea (slashing), 14:14. Ottenbreit, Sea (major-fighting), 14:46. Bellerive, Let (major-fighting), 14:46. Olson, Let (slashing), 18:31.
Shots on goal – Seattle 14-9-9 32, Lethbridge 9-4-8 21. Goalies – Seattle, Hughes 21 shots-17 saves (3-2-0-0); Lethbridge, Klassen 32-25 (0-1-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 3-4; Lethbridge 1-3. A – 3,343. Referees – Tyler Adair, Ward Pateman. Linesmen – Aidan Henderson, Matt Schoenroth.
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