WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

T-Birds Knock Down Giants

Published on March 14, 2010 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


Kent,March 14, 2010 - The Seattle Thunderbirds used a 51 save effort from its Most Valuable Player, goalie Calvin Pickard, and two points from Charles Wells to knock off the Vancouver Giants 4-3 in overtime Sunday evening at the ShoWare Center.

The T-Birds (19-41-7-5) took a 1-0 lead at 9:42 of the first period. Captain Lindsay Nielsen fed Prab Rai with an outlet pass out of the T-Birds' defensive zone. Rai gained control of the puck at center ice, skated down the left wing and snapped a wrist shot from the circle that beat Giants' goalie Derek Tendler glove side for his 41st goal of the season. Charles Wells earned the second assist.

Wells extended the T-Birds' lead to 2-0 with an unassisted goal at 16:47 of the period. Wells stole a pass out of the Giants' zone at center ice, skated on net and fired a low wrist shot from inside the right circle that beat Tendler over the right blocker. The goal was Wells' 21st of the season.

Seattle outshot Vancouver 15-13 in the first period.

The Giants (41-25-3-3) cut into the T-Birds' lead with Brendan Gallagher's 41st goal of the season at 5:49 of the second period. It was assisted by Craig Cunningham and David Musil.

Vancouver outshot Seattle 18-6 in the second period and held a 31-21 advantage through 40 minutes of action.

Tyler Alos gave Seattle a 3-1 lead at 4:30 of the third period with his eighth goal of the season. Colin Jacobs slid a cross-ice pass to defenseman Austin Frank who was waiting at the left point. Frank launched a slap shot that bounced off the Tendler's blocker and right to Alos who was waiting just outside the crease to tip it in.

Frank's assist on the goal was his first point in the Western Hockey League. He was acquired at the trade deadline along with a future draft pick for former T-Bird defenseman Stefan Warg.

Vancouver cut the lead to 3-2 with Neil Manning's 17th goal of the season at 18:42 of the third period. Cunningham and Musil earned the assists.

The Giants tied the game 3-3 with seven seconds left in the third period on J.T. Barnett's 21st goal of the season. It was a shorthanded goal assisted by Musil.

Vancouver outshot Seattle 21-4 in the third period and held a 52-25 advantage through regulation.

Luke Lockhart's eighth goal of the season gave the T- Birds a 4-3 victory at 2:26 of the overtime period. Center Brendan Rouse found Lockhart waiting inside the left circle. Lockhart fired a high shot that bounced off the right arm of Tendler and trickled into the net. Colin Jacobs earned the second assist on the goal.

The T-Birds outshot the Giants 4-2 in the overtime period.

Pickard made 51 saves on 54 shots. He finishes the season with a record of 16-34-7-5.

Tendler made 25 saves on 29 shots. He is now 4-3-0- 0.

After the game, the T-Birds distributed their annual season awards. Captain Lindsay Nielsen earned the awards for Humanitarianism and Most Dedicated. Mitch Elliot earned the Scholastic Player award. The Most Improved player award went to Charles Wells. Center Colin Jacobs earned the Rookie of the Year award. Prab Rai took the honors for Top Scorer. Jeremy Schappert was the Defenseman of the Year and the T-Birds' Most Valuable Player was Calvin Pickard.

The T-Birds are now accepting season ticket deposits for the 2010-11 Western Hockey League season. For more information, please call the T-Birds ticket office at (253) 239-7825.

Check out the Seattle Thunderbirds Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 14, 2010


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