T-Birds Beat Stuffing out of Giants
January 22, 2017 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
KENT - The second largest crowd of the season, 6,149 fans, saw six goals from the Seattle Thunderbird and 6,795 teddy bears and stuffed animals on the ShoWare Center ice Saturday night.
Mathew Barzal and Ryan Gropp paced the T-Birds with three points each in a 6-1 victory over the Vancouver Giants on Fred Meyer Teddy Bear Toss presented by WARM 106.9 Night.
Seattle (25-15-3-1) took a 1-0 lead at 9:30 of the first period. Gropp carried the puck up the ice and passed it to Barzal just inside the blue line on the left wing. Barzal made a saucer pass to Turner Ottenbreit who one-timed the pass. Ottenbreit's shot deflected off a defenseman and past Vancouver goalie David Tendeck.
Immediately after the goal fans threw teddy bears and stuffed animals on the ice. The bears and stuffed animals were collected by the WARM 106.9 Teddy Bear Patrol. They will be given to local police and fire departments to give to children in times of crisis.
The T-Birds extended the lead to 2-0 at 14:43 of the first. Tyler Adams was in front of Tendeck and took a backhand shot that missed the net. Barzal got the loose puck and skated behind the Vancouver net from right to left. At the bottom of the left circle Barzal took a wrist shot that beat Tendeck on the short side. Jarret Tyszka had the second assist.
The T-Birds outshot the Giants 16-4 in the first period.
A great individual effort by Gropp put the T-Bird up 3-0 at 8:03 of the second period. Gropp split the Vancouver defense down the slot with some deft stickhandling moves. As he was falling down he crossed the puck to Alexander True over the top of the crease as Tendeck went down. True puck the puck under Tendeck's glove as the goalie dove across to try and make the save.
Seattle outshot Vancouver 17-5 in the second period and led 33-9 in total shot after two periods.
Barzal gave the T-Birds a 4-0 lead at 6:03 of the third period. He had the puck behind the Vancouver net and came out at the right post and tried to score a lacrosse style goal. Barzal got the puck off the ice but it rolled off his stick and through Tendeck's legs. Keegan Kolesar and Gropp had the assists.
Vancouver (17-27-1-2) got on the board 7:09 of the third on a goal from Calvin Spencer. Tyler Popowich had the only assist on the goal.
Sami Moilanen scored from on top of the crease at 9:40 of the third to put the T-Birds up 5-1. Donovan Neuls fed Moilanen from behind the Vancouver net. Austin Strand had the second assist.
Luke Ormsby capped the scoring for the T-Bird at 11:36 of the third period. Ormsby sent the puck into the Giants zone. Adams chased the puck down behind the Vancouver net. Adams backhanded the puck to Ormbsy all alone in front of Tendeck. Ormsby beat Tendeck on the glove side for his fourth goal of the season.
Seattle outshot Vancouver 13-7 in the third period and 46-16 in the game.
Seattle goalie Rylan Toth had 15 saves and his record is now 21-15-1-0.
Tendeck made 40 saves and his record is now 17-27-1-2.
T-Birds single game tickets for the 2016-17 season are currently on sale. Fans can purchase single game tickets online or at the ShoWare Center box office.
T-Birds 2016-17 season tickets are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period - 1, Seattle, Ottenbreit 4 (Barzal, Gropp), 9:30. 2, Seattle, Barzal 5 (Adams, Tyszka), 14:43. Penalties - Jones, Van (high-sticking), 4:32. Adams, Sea (delay of game), 12:14. Ormsby, Sea (roughing), 16:45.
Second period - 3, Seattle, True 14 (Gropp), 8:03. Penalties - Neuls, Sea (hooking), 5:57. Popowich, Van (unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:27. Strand, Sea (major-fighting), 12:45. Spencer, Van (major-fighting), 12:45. Rattie, Van (slashing), 15:36. Bench, Sea (too many men-served by Ormbsy), 15:36. Popowich, Van (holding), 19:30.
Third period - 4, Seattle, Barzal 6 (Kolesar, Gropp), 6:03. 5, Vancouver, Spencer 11 (Popowich), 7:09. 6, Seattle, Moilanen 14 (Neuls, Strand), 9:40. 7, Seattle, Ormsby 4 (Adams, Bear), 11:36. Penalties - Hardy, Van (roughing), 19:28. Ormsby, Sea (roughing), 19:28.
Shots on goal - Seattle 16-17-13 46, Vancouver 4-5-7 16. Goalies - Seattle, Toth 16 shots-15 saves (21-15-1-0); Vancouver, Tendeck 46-40 (3-7-0-0). Power plays - Seattle 0-3; Vancouver 0-3. A - 6,146. Referees - Brett Iverson, Troy Paterson. Linesmen - Zach Brooks, Adam Brastad.
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