The Seattle Thunderbirds started hot, scoring two goals in less than three minutes into their game against Calgary on Monday night.
They finished even hotter, with Roddy Ross making 33 saves in a 2-1 victory over the Hitmen at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The T-Birds finished their three-game road trip to the Central Division 2-1-0-0.
Seattle’s next two games are also on the road – at the Tri-City Americans at 7:05 p.m. Friday and at the Portland Winterhawks at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Seattle (5-5-2-1) jumped out to a 1-0 lead 33 seconds into the first period. Henrik Rybinski pushed the puck into the offensive zone on the right wing. He passed the puck to Michael Horon, who controlled the puck with the inside of his left skate and then quickly crossed it through the slot to Matthew Wedman at the back post. Wedman battled through the Calgary defenseman and chipped Horon’s pass past Calgary goalie Brayden Peters.
Wedman has a four-game point streak with two goals and five assists in the last four games. Rybinski has a three-game point streak with two goal and two assists. Horon has a two-game assist streak.
Keltie Jeri-Leon made it a 2-0 at 2:54 of the first. Sam Popowich, who was making his T-Birds debut, chased a loose puck down in the left corner and moved it to Luke Bateman at the left point. Bateman took a wrist shot that was deflected to the right point. Jeri-Leon skated to the puck and spun while taking a wrist shot. Jeri-Leon’s shot hit Peters’ glove and went into the net.
Popowich was a fifth-round selection, 91st overall, in the 2018 Bantam Draft.
Ross made a nice left-pad save on Luke Prokop with 11 seconds left in the first period to get the T-Birds to the first intermission up 2-0.
Calgary (8-3-1-0) cut the T-Birds’ lead to one at 11:03 of the second on a goal from Layne Toder.
Calgary pulled Peters for an extra attacker with 1:12 left in the game. Andrej Kukuca just missed the empty net with a shot from the right circle of the T-Birds’ zone. With the missed shot the T-Birds were called for icing. They were able to clear the puck three more times, including a faceoff with four seconds left in the game, to seal the win.
Next
The T-Birds return to Kent ice on Friday, Nov. 8, against the Kamloops Blazers at 7:35 p.m. at the accesso ShoWare Center. They host the Everett Silvertips at 6:05 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9.
Single-game tickets are on sale online and at the ShoWare box office.
Fans who purchase the 24-flex ticket package will be able to select any available premium seat for any game, in any ticket combination, during the 2019-20 season.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Wedman 5 (Horon, Rybinski), :33. 2, Seattle, Jeri-Leon 4 (Bateman, Popowich), 2:54. Penalties – Allan, Cal (slashing), 5:30. Ciona, Sea (delay of game), 8:37. Bauer, Sea (interference),13:37. Wiesblatt, Cal (bench), 14:46. Ashton, Sea (roughing), 19:18 Stotts, Cal (roughing), 19:18. Kubicek, Sea (roughing), 19:57. Focht, Cal (roughing), 19:57.
Second period – 3, Calgary, Toder 2 (Campbell, Allan), 11:03. Penalties – Wedman, Sea (hooking), 18:20.
Third period – No scoring. Penalties – Bateman, Sea (roughing), 7:34. Kastelic, Cal (roughing), 7:34. Rybinski, Sea (hooking), 8:44.
Shots on goal – Seattle 12-8-8 28, Calgary 14-12-8 34. Goalies – Seattle, Ross 34 shots-33 saves (5-3-2-1); Calgary, Peters 28-26 (2-1-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-2; Calgary 0-4. Referees – Tyler Jensen, Kevin Webinger. Linesmen – Przemek Iwaniec, Will Mosswick.
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