T-Birds Fire Past Blazers

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WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

T-Birds Fire Past Blazers

December 7, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


KAMLOOPS, B.C. - A 36 save effort from Scott Ratzlaff and a three point night from Radim Mrtka sparked the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 5-2 win over the Kamloops Blazers Friday at the Sandman Centre. The Thunderbirds second of three games this weekend is Saturday at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett against the Silvertips. The T-Birds return home Sunday to complete three games in three days. They will host the Spokane Chiefs at 5:05 p.m.at the accesso ShoWare Center.

"Good goaltending was one of the factors tonight for sure." Remarked head coach Matt O'Dette of the Ratzlaff performance. "It's nice when you don't have your best game and still find a way to win. Special teams had a good night and we had timely scoring."

On Teddy Bear Toss night in Kamloops, the Blazers got the teddy bear goal early, scoring at 2:50 of the first period. It would be the only goal of the opening twenty minutes.

"Coming into a Teddy Bear Toss, it can be overwhelming," commented Ratzlaff. "For them to score three minutes in, we get the Teddy Bear Toss out of the way. For us to battle back, stay with it and eventually get the win is huge."

Seattle (10-15-2-1) equalized at 4:06 of the second period on Tai Riley's second of the season. Mrtka, with his first WHL point, and Nathan Pilling had the assists. "It was a great play by Mrtka at the blue line to pass it over," said Riley of his second goal this season. "I saw a lane, Lovy (Simon Lovsin) had a nice flash screen and I just put it in the back of the net."

The T-Birds grabbed their first lead of the game three and a half minutes later on an Antonio Martorana power play goal. The assists came from Matej Pekar and Riley.

After the Blazers tied it back up with a break away goal at 11:57, the T-Birds regained the lead for good at 16:10. Skating with a two man advantage, Sawyer Mynio blasted in his fifth of the season off assists from Mrtka and Braeden Cootes.

Leading 3-2 entering the third period, Mrtka extended the Seattle lead with his first goal since joining the T-Birds last weekend. Arjun Bawa earned the lone assist. Minutes later the T-Birds found themselves with two players in the penalty box, giving Kamloops nearly a full two minutes of a 5-on-3 power play. Led by Ratzlaff, the T-Birds were able to kill it off and preserve their lead.

Sam Charko closed out the scoring, putting the puck in the empty net with 50 seconds remaining.

"Some of our details and habits weren't perfect tonight, There is definitely room for improvement," remarked O'Dette. "But sometimes they're greasy on the road and this one was a greasy one. Our goals were timely, they gave us momentum and we kept that momentum."

T-BIRDS EXTRAS

The win was just the Thunderbirds third on the road this season, but second road win in the last four games.

Mynio and Cootes were back in the lineup after dealing with injuries and illness. Mynio missed ten games with an upper body ailment while Cootes missed three games last weekend due to illness.

Seattle is still down two defenseman, Owen Boucher, injured last Sunday, is out week-to-week and Hyde Davidson is month-to-month. Both players are dealing with upper body injuries.

Cootes assist on the Mynio goal extended his point streak to five games.

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