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WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

T-Birds Can't Skate Past Spokane

December 9, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


KENT, Wash. - The Seattle Thunderbirds surrendered two shorthanded goals and fell to the Spokane Chiefs, 3-1, Sunday at the accesso ShoWare Center. The Thunderbirds three game homestand continues Tuesday when they host the Wenatchee Wild. Game time is 7:05 p.m.

We're hitting a bit of a rough patch with it," said head coach Matt O'Dette of the team's power play recently. "I thought on those shorthanded goals we could have sensed danger and got back a little bit quicker."

O'Dette said the first period was the difference. "We didn't come out of the gates doing the things we needed to do to win the game. We started to get into it in the second and into the third and finished strong, but you can't win in this league, especially against a team like Spokane, with only 40 minutes of hockey."

Spokane opened a two goal lead in the first, scoring two minutes into the contest and getting the first of their two shorthanded goals five minutes later.

Seattle (10-17-2-1) cut their deficit to 2-1 with Arjun Bawa's fifth of the season, at 8:50 of the second period, as he put back in an initial shot from Sawyer Mynio. Nishaan Parmar had the second assist. "That's how we have to score goals," remarked O'Dette. "There's not enough of those type of goals, just finding ways to get pucks and bodies to the net. That goal was a snapshot of what we need to do more of."

The T-Birds had a chance to tie the game with, first a two-man advantage and then a 5-on-4 power play, but instead coughed up the puck leading to Spokane's second shorthanded goal and restoring the Chiefs two goal lead.

The Thunderbirds outshot Spokane over the final two periods, 22-16, but would get no closer on the scoreboard. T-Birds goalie Grayson Malinoski kept the game close with 24 saves. "He played really strong," said O'Dette of his rookie netminder. "He was calm and cool and slammed the door on several of their high end chances. That's all you can ask from your goaltender, to compete and battle in the net and give your team a chance."

T-BIRDS EXTRAS

After the game T-Birds goalie Scott Ratzlaff and defenseman Sawyer Mynio left for Team Canada's World Junior Championship selection camp. The camp runs Tuesday through Friday.

Braeden Cootes saw his six game point streak come to an end versus Spokane.

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