Western Hockey League history was made Saturday night at the Toyota Center in Kennewick.
For the first time in the league’s history, brothers faced each other as starting goalies. Calvin Pickard started in net for the Seattle Thunderbirds while older brother Chet started in net for the Tri-City Americans.
Seattle came back from a four-goal deficit to force overtime, but the Americans scored a power-play goal in the extra period for a 5-4 Tri-City victory.
Calvin, a 16-year-old, stopped 27 of 32 shots while older brother Chet, a 19-year-old, made 36 saves on 40 shots.
The two brothers had faced each other previously in a WHL game when Calvin replaced Jacob DeSerres after one period on October 17 in Kennewick. The Americans won that game 6-4.
Johnny Lazo scored an unassisted shorthanded goal at 7:54 of the first period to give the Americans a 1-0 lead.
The Americans went ahead 2-0 at 14:19 of the first when Jason Reese scored. Eric Mestery and Brett Plouffe had the assists.
Brooks Macek scored at 16:34 of the first to put Tri-City in front 3-0. Jordan Messier and Tyler Schmidt had assists on the goal.
Lazo scored a power-play goal at 17:52 of the first to make it a 4-0 Tri-City lead. Kruise Reddick and Jason Reese had the assists.
Tri-City (11-5-0-1) outshot Seattle 14-5 in the first period.
Seattle (4-10-1-1) got on the board at 4:25 of the second period on a goal by Jeremy Boyer. Jeremy Schappert took a shot from the left point that Tri-City goalie Chet Pickard stopped. The puck rebounded to the right circle where Boyer got to it. Boyer quickly turned and put a wrist shot on goal that beat Pickard. Charles Wells had the second assist on the goal.
Thomas Hickey scored a power-play goal at 16:53 of the second to cut the Americans lead to two goals. Hickey carried the puck up the left side from the Seattle zone. He cut into the high slot and beat Chet Pickard over the glove with a quick snap shot. Sena Acolatse had the only assist on the goal.
Seattle outshot Tri-City 17-9 in the second period. The Americans held a 23-22 advantage in shots after two periods.
The T-Birds got to within one when Jim O’Brien scored at 10:01 of the third period. Jonathan Parker worked the puck off the boards in the Seattle zone. He sent the puck to Acolatse in the center of the Seattle zone. Acolatse carried the puck and then passed to O’Brien head up the ice. O’Brien came in on a two-on- two with Parker on his right. O’Brien beat Chet Pickard through the legs with a wrist shot for his fourth goal of the year.
The T-Birds tied the game at 15:52 of the third when O’Brien scored his second goal of the game. Acolatse and Parker assisted on the goal.
Seattle outshot Tri-City 15-4 in the third period and had a 37-27 advantage in shots after 60 minutes.
Lazo scored a power-play goal in overtime at 2:32 of the extra period to give the Americans the win. Reddick and Plouffe had the assists.
The Americans outshot the T-Birds 5-3 in overtime.
Calvin Pickard stopped 27 of 32 shots and his record is now 2-6-1-1.
Chet Pickard made 36 saves on 40 shots and his record is now 9-5-0-1.
The T-Birds next game is Tuesday against the Edmonton Oil Kings at 7:05 p.m. at KeyArena.
T-Birds’ season tickets are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825. Purchasing a season ticket will ensure fans can attend the T-Birds first game in their new home, the Kent Events Center.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Tri-City, Lazo 5, 7:54 (sh). 2, Tri-City, Reese 12 (Mestery, Plouffe), 14:19. 3, Tri-City, Macek 1 (Messier, Schmidt), 16:34. 4, Tri-City, Lazo 6 (Reddick, Reese), 17:51 (pp). Penalties – LeBlanc, Sea (major-fighting), 7:04. McColm, Tri (instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 7:04. Mestery, Tri (interference), 10:45. Nielsen, Sea (slashing), 10:56. Stoklasa, Tri (goaltender interference), 16:42. Cloud, Sea (roughing, instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 16:42. Schmidt, Tri (major-fighting), 16:42. Acolatse, Sea (cross checking), 16:42.
Second period – 5, Seattle, Boyer 5 (Schappert, Wells), 4:25. 6, Seattle, Hickey 2 (Acolatse), 16:53 (pp). Penalties – Lazo, Tri (tripping), 1:49. Stoklasa, Tri (hooking), 5:36. Scott, Sea (hooking), 10:30. Bench, Sea (too many men- served by Haber), 11:06. McColm, Tri (delay of game), 14:14. Lazo, Tri (tripping), 15:27. Warg, Sea (hooking), 19:22.
Third period – 7, Seattle, O’Brien 4 (Acolatse, Parker), 10:01. 8, Seattle, O’Brien 5 (Parker, Acolatse), 15:52. Penalties – Stoklasa, Tri (slashing), 1:22. Mestery, Tri (delay of game), 19:26.
Overtime – 9, Tri-City, Lazo 7 (Reddick, Plouffe), 2:32 (pp). Penalties – Scott, Sea (goaltender interference), 1:09.
Shots on goal – Seattle 5-17-15-3 40. Tri-City 14-9-4-5 32. Goalies – Seattle, Ca. Pickard 32 shots-27 saves (2-6-1-1); Tri-City, Ch. Pickard 40-36(9-5-0-1). Power plays – Seattle 1-8; Tri-City 2- 7. A – 4,003. Referee – Carl Poole, Reagan Vetter. Linesmen – Justin Hull, Trevor Shively.
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