WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

In The Corners with Thom Beuning

Published on October 27, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


A tip of the hat to Aaron Gagnon, Chris Durand and Derek Couture; each registered three goals, or a "hat trick", in a home game during the month of October. And each hat trick was significant in its own right.

Gagnon's three goal effort in a 4-0 shutout win over Kelowna on October 15th was the first hat trick by a Thunderbirds player since the 2002-2003 season. That's right; the T-birds went the entire 72-game schedule a season ago without a single player registering a hat trick.

Two nights later, against Prince George, it was Durand with the three-goal effort in a 5-1 win. They were the first three goals of the season for the Saskatoon native. Durand missed the first four weeks of the season while rehabbing an injured knee. It was apparently just the tonic the projected first round NHL draft pick needed, as he followed up with goals in his next two games. For good measure he added an assist on the game winning goal October 22nd in Kennewick.

Then there's Derek Couture who did both Gagnon and Durand one better...literally! Couture had a four-goal night in Seattle's 5-2 triumph over Vancouver this past Saturday. His four-goal barrage included the game winner on a nifty wraparound-goal in the third period. The four goal output was one more than Couture had all of last season with Saskatoon. Heck, he equaled his 2003-2004 goal-total when he lit the lamp three times in the third period alone! To be fair Couture played in just 45-games a season ago due to injuries.

Mitch Fadden almost made it four hat tricks in four straight homes games, but the 16-year old rookie could "only" muster two goals in a 3-0 shutout of Tri-City this past Sunday. Speaking of rookies, congratulation to goaltender Gavin McHale who registered his first WHL shutout in the win over the Ams.

By the way, hats off to the T-birds scouting department for finding a diamond-in-the- rough in Couture. Couture played last season with Saskatoon as they suffered through one of the worst seasons in WHL memory, winning just 7 out of 72 games. But the Thunderbirds scouts, led by Director of Player Personnel Colin Alexander, saw something in Couture that would fit in nicely in Seattle and swung the deal in the off-season and got him in a T-birds jersey. The strength of Couture's game is a strong fore check, but by evidence of his 17-goals two seasons ago with the Blades; he can put the puck in the back of the net as well.

The Thunderbirds begin November with their third longest road trip of the season. Seattle opened the year with five straight away from home (and went 3-2). They have a six-game eastern swing in mid-December. Meanwhile November starts out with four straight on the road and three of the four are against Divisional opponents Tri-City, Portland and Spokane. Mixed in is their second trip up to Vancouver to play the Giants.

Before they embark on that road trip Seattle ends October with their first visit to Spokane Friday for the first of nine games this season with the Chiefs. October closes out with a home game on Saturday, Halloween Eve, versus the Kamloops Blazers. With that game versus Kamloops the T-Birds will have played each team in the Western Conference at least once.

DID YOU KNOW: In compiling a 5-0-0-0 home record, the T-birds have outscored their opponents on the KeyArena ice by a 21-5 margin, or by an average score of 4-1, including two shutouts.

This season Seattle Thunderbirds play-by-play voice Thom Beuning is writing a weekly column for Thunderbirds E-News. Each week Thom will take an in-depth look at the T-Birds. He will wrap up the previous week's games and preview upcoming T-Bird opponents. Thom will also spotlight T-Birds who are making contributions that you won't see on the score sheet. You can listen to the game on KKNW, 1150-AM or on the webcast at www.seattlethunderbirds.com. The broadcast begins with the T-birds pregame show, "Crash the Net" 25-minutes before the first period face-off.

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 27, 2004


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