T-Birds Earn First Road Win in Kelowna
WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

T-Birds Earn First Road Win in Kelowna

Published on October 10, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


KELOWNA, B.C. - Marek Sklenicka stopped 35 of 36 shots and the Seattle Thunderbirds earned their first road win of the season, skating past the Kelowna Rockets, 3-1, Friday at Prospera Place. This was the first of three games in three days for Seattle. They return home to the accesso ShoWare Center Saturday to host the Spokane Chiefs at 6:05 p.m. They finish the weekend Sunday in Wenatchee.

"A really good response tonight," said head coach Matt O'Dette of his team's effort coming off a humbling 10-4 loss. "We challenged the guys to raise our attention to detail defensively, our work ethic and our compete level. That's the type of effort we need to win on the road."

Seattle (3-3-0-0) got on the board early with an unassisted goal from Kaleb Hartmann, his first of the season. The goal at 6:47 of the first period carried into the first intermission.

After a scoreless second period, the Thunderbirds doubled their lead with a power play goal from Antonio Martorana at 3:42 of period three. Matej Pekar and Coster Dunn had the assists on Martorana's third goal of the season. The goal would stand as the game winner.

The Rockets made it a game, scoring while skating 5-on-3, they closed to within 2-1 with 9:35 remaining. The T-Birds clamped down from that point and Sawyer Mayes was able to bury a puck into an empty net at 18:55 with Martorana assisting.

Sklenicka was at his best in the final period, making 14 saves. "Our goalie was really good tonight," remarked O'Dette who added it was a team effort. "Guys were sacrificing, blocking shots, taking hits to make plays and sticking up for each other."

With two more games this weekend, O'Dette said there is little time to enjoy this one. "We're happy with the win. Now we need to respond again and match that effort in back-to-back nights."

T-BIRDS EXTRAS

Ashton Cumby played in his first game of the season for the T-Birds after being returned to Seattle earlier in the week by the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks.

The T-Birds played without Simon Lovsin who began serving a five-game suspension for a kneeing major assessed in Seattle's loss last weekend in Penticton. He's eligible to return October 24th.

With his third period assist Matej Pekar has a three-game point streak with five points (3g,2a) over that stretch.




Western Hockey League Stories from October 10, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central