Nolan Volcan had two goals and two assists to power the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 5-4 Western Hockey League win over the Tri-City Americans at the accesso ShoWare Center on Tuesday night.
It was the first of three consecutive games between the T-Birds and Americans. They meet Friday in Kennewick at 7:05 p.m. and then are back at ShoWare for a 6:05 p.m. start Saturday.
Seattle (6-1-1-0) took a 1-0 lead at 4:09 of the first period on Owen Williams’ second goal of the season. Reece Harsch won a board battle along the right wall to Nolan Volcan at the right point. Volcan crossed the puck to Williams at the left point. Williams skated down the slot and put a hard wrist shot over Tri-City goalie Beck Warm’s glove.
The T-Birds extended the lead to 2-0 at 7:27 on Volcan’s power-play goal. Andrej Kukuca had the puck on the right boards and sent it low to Matthew Wedman on the goal line. Wedman centered to Volcan in the slot, and he one-timed the puck past Warm for his third goal of the season.
Tri-City (4-4-0-0) cut the lead to one at 13:28 of the first on a goal from Riley Sawchuk.
The T-Birds struck 24 seconds into the second period on a scramble goal to take a 3-1 lead. Volcan had the puck to the right of the net and took a shot. Wedman crashed the net and got a stick on the puck, which then squirted to Kukuca to the left the net. Kukuca punched the puck over a sprawling Warm.
The Americans cut the lead to one goal again at 1:06 of the second when Parker AuCoin scored.
Nolan Yaremko tied the game 3-3 at 15:30 of the second and put the Americans in front 4-3 at 15:30.
Reece Harsch tied the game 4-4 at 18:36 on the power play. Noah Philp skated the puck into the right circle and then centered to Graeme Bryks in the high slot. Bryks quickly moved the puck to Harsch in the left circle. Harsh one-timed the Bryks pass and beat Warm over the glove.
The T-Birds had a 24-22 lead in shots after two periods. Tri-City outshot Seattle 15-11 in the second period.
Volcan scored his second goal, the game-winning tally, at 1:49 of the third period. Volcan passed the puck from the left boards to Kukuca in the left circle. Kukuca took a shot that Warm couldn’t control. Volcan came in dragged the puck around Warm and put it into the net.
The T-Birds outshot the Americans 11-7 in the third period and 35-29 in the second.
Single-game tickets are on sale online and at the ShoWare box office. Season tickets may be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Williams 2 (Volcan, Harsch), 4:09. 2, Seattle, Volcan 3 (Wedman, Kukuca), 7:27 (pp). 3, Tri-City, Sawchuk 5 (Bruce, Bouchard), 13:28. Penalties – Bruce, Tri (slashing), 6:17.
Second period – 4, Seattle, Kukuca 3 (Wedman, Volcan), :24. 5, Tri-City, AuCoin 4 (Mutala, Brown), 1:06. 6, Tri-City, Yaremko 7 (Johnson, Olson), 12:40 (pp). 7, Tri-City, Yaremko 8 (Schmiemann, Brown), 15:30. 8, Seattle, Harsch 1 (Bryks, Philp), 18:36 (pp). Penalties – Wedman, Sea (charging), 5:40. Kukuca, Sea (slashing), 11:06. Bruce, Tri (boarding), 13:07. Johnson, Tri (slashing), 17:46. Schmiemann, Tri (slashing), 18:58.
Third period – 9, Seattle, Volcan 4 (Kukuca), 1:49. Penalties – Olson, Tri (hooking), 4:27. Mount, Sea (high-sticking), 4:35. Johnson, Tri (10-minute misconduct), 8:34. Yaremko, Tri (double minor-high sticking), 8:34.
Shots on goal – Seattle 13-11-11 35, Tri-City 7-15-7 29. Goalies – Seattle, Hughes 29 shots-25 saves (6-1-0-0); Tri-City, Warm 35-30 (3-4-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 2-7; Tri-City 1-3. A – 4,204. Referees – Kevin Bennett, Troy Paterson. Linesmen – Trevor Beaton, Tim Plamondon.
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