T-Birds Even Series, Force Game Seven
May 17, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
KENT, Wash. - Thomas Milic stopped 29 shots and the Seattle Thunderbirds stayed alive, edging the Portland Winterhawks, 2-1, in Game Six of their second-round playoff series Monday at the accesso ShoWare Center. The win means there will be a seventh and decisive game Tuesday at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland. Game time is 7:00 p.m.
T-birds head coach Matt O'Dette lauded his team's performance. "It was a good effort by the guys. The first period was really good. Our habits were good and we were executing the game plan." He said they dropped off slightly in the second period, but they got back on track in the third and were able to finish the job.
All the scoring took place in the game's first thirteen minutes. For the fifth time in the series, Seattle scored first, at 3:12, when Reid Schaefer scored his fourth of the postseason, assisted by Henrik Rybinski and Lucas Svejkovsky. "Ryby just had a great forecheck. He was lucky enough to find Svej there in the slot. Svej fed me the puck and I just finished it post in."
The T-birds ran into penalty trouble and Portland equalized at 8:29, as Cross Hanas deflected in a point shot while the Winterhawks skated with a two-man advantage. But O'Dette said limiting the damage to just one goal was a key to the win. "It's not easy, they have a really good power play," he said. "A full two minutes 5-on-3 is a tall task to shut them down, but the PK did a good job."
O'Dette said the penalty kill created some momentum. Eventually Seattle would get their own power play and Jordan Gustafson would score what turned out to be the game winner at 12:51, with Conner Roulette and Jeremy Hanzel earning the helpers.
"It went from Rou's side, up to the top (of the zone) to Hanzy and he just dished it over to me. I let it go and it just happened to go in." Gustafson said Portland goalie Taylor Gauthier is a tough one to get pucks behind, so he was just trying to get the shot on goal. "He's a really good goalie. We've been testing him out all series. I just decided I was going to get that one on net."
From there it was Milic who came up with stop after stop to keep Portland at bay, turning aside 18 shots over the final two periods. None was bigger than a second period stop of Hanas at the T-birds goal line. "It was a flurry of sticks everywhere," he said. "Eventually the puck ended up sitting right on the goal line and I just got my glove on it before they could get a stick on it, and I got a whistle."
The save got the fans on their feet, chanting Milic's name. He said it was a special moment. "I tried to stay focused and ignore it, but it kept getting louder and louder. So, I had to acknowledge it and our fans being so awesome."
O'Dette agreed with the fans. "What can you say. Milly's been good in the series, giving us a chance to win each and every night. That's all you can ask from your goaltender."
T-BIRD EXTRAS
This is the third time since 2002 the T-birds and Winterhawks have played a full seven game series. Seattle won Game Seven in Portland in 2002. Portland won Game Seven in Seattle in 2006. Both of those were first round matchups.
The winner of Game Seven Tuesday will face the Kamloops Blazers in the Western Conference Championship Series. That series will begin Friday in Kamloops.
Western Hockey League Stories from May 17, 2022
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- Tetachuk Connects with Teammates, Fans During Incredible Season - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Game Day Hub: Round 2, Game 7 vs Seattle - Portland Winterhawks
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- Chiefs Prepare for U.S. Priority Draft and WHL Prospects Draft - Spokane Chiefs
- ECC SERIES Preview: Edmonton Oil Kings vs. Winnipeg ICE - Edmonton Oil Kings
- T-Birds Even Series, Force Game Seven - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Portland, Seattle Set for Game 7 on Tuesday - Portland Winterhawks
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