WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

T-Birds Fall to Rockets

Published on January 22, 2011 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


Kent,January 21, 2011 - Despite a three point night from Colin Jacobs, the Seattle Thunderbirds fell to the Kelowna Rockets 6-3 on Friday night at the ShoWare Center.

The T-Birds got on the board early on Luke Lockhart's 15th goal of the season. Shortly after a T-Birds power-play had ended, Mitch Spooner was able to maintain possession of the puck at the blue line along the right boards in the offensive zone. Spooner dumped the puck deep to Colin Jacobs, who skated around the back of the Kelowna net. Once Jacobs had gone all the way around the net, he made a slick between-the-legs pass to a wide open Lockhart, who was waiting in front of the Rockets' net. Lockhart's initial shot was saved, but he followed his own effort and pounded the puck into the back of the net to give the T-Birds a 1-0 lead at 3:33 of the first period. The assist was Spooner's first point as a member of the T-Birds.

The Rockets answered with a 5-on-3 power-play goal at 13:38 of the first period by Zach Franko. Geordie Wudrick and Shane McColgan assisted on Franko's 10th goal of the season.

Kelowna (25-20-0-0) grabbed a 2-1 lead at 18:26 of the first period on a 4-on-4 goal by McColgan, his 16th goal of the season. Brett Bulmer and Tyson Barrie had the assists.

Seattle (18-20-4-5) tied the game with just three seconds remaining in the first period on Jacobs' 16th goal of the season. Defenseman Brenden Dillon held the puck in the offensive zone by throwing a blind shot at the Kelowna net from the right point. The shot missed the net, but left wing Marcel Noebels gained control of the puck and fired one on the Rockets' net. The puck took a funny bounce off of the left pad of Kelowna goalie Adam Brown right to Jacobs, who was waiting on the right side of the net to lift a wrist shot over Brown and into the goal.

After one period of play, Kelowna outshot Seattle 13-11.

The Rockets' regained their one goal lead at 8:59 of the second period on a power-play goal by Franko, his second of the game. Bulmer and Damon Severson were credited with the assists.

Evan Bloodoff extended Kelowna's lead to 4-2 with 41 seconds remaining in the second period. Colton Sisson assisted on Bloodoff's 11th goal of the season.

The T-Birds cut the Rockets' lead to one goal at 13:28 of the third period on a 5-on-3 power-play goal by Jacobs, his second goal of the game and 17th of the season. Noebels gained control of a bouncing puck in the right corner, and made a pass to Jacobs, who was playing the right point on the power-play. Jacobs crossed with the Dillon, who was playing the other point and faked a slap shot. He then passed to Dillon, who immediately passed it back to Jacobs. Jacobs one-timed the pass off of a Rocket defenseman and into the Kelowna goal.

Jacobs' goal would prove to be the last for the T-Birds, as Kelowna sealed the game with two short-handed empty-net goals by Barrie. The first goal came at 18:51 of the third and was unassisted. The second empty-netter came with 17.7 seconds remaining in the game and was assisted by Spencer Main.

Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard (18-18-3-5) stopped 32 of the 36 shots that he faced.

Kelowna goalie Adam Brown (21-17-0-0) saw 29 shots and saved 26 of them to earn the victory.

The T-Birds will head south to face the Portland Winterhawks tomorrow, January 22nd at 2 p.m. at the Rose Garden in Portland. They will then face their I-5 rivals in the opposite direction, the Everett Silvertips, Friday, January 28th at the Comcast Arena in Everett. The T-Birds will return home to face the Winterhawks on Saturday, January 29th at the ShoWare Center in the annual Fred Meyer Teddy Bear Toss game. At that game, fans are encouraged to bring teddy bears to throw on to the ice after the T-Birds score their first goal. The teddy bears will be collected and donated to local hospitals and charities.

T-Birds single game tickets for the 2010-11 season are available online at the T-Birds website uiQEIQs3TGll7J9DmWDXaONB9Lq0wtXkAppi6dQRZDft5uB) and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.

T-Birds group tickets are currently on sale. Group tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 22, 2011


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