T-Birds March Past the Americans
February 15, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
KENT, Wash. -Brad Lambert had a goal and two assists as the Seattle Thunderbirds hung on to beat the Tri-City Americans, 4-2, Tuesday at the accesso ShoWare Center. The win moves Seattle to 39-9-1-1 on the season and pulls them four points up on the Portland Winterhawks for the top of the Western Conference. The Thunderbirds face the Americans again Friday when they travel to the Toyota Center in Kennewick for a 7:05 p.m. game.
Thunderbirds head coach Matt O'Dette was happy with the win but not necessarily with the effort. "I thought there were a lot of things we could have done better," he said. "I think we're relying a little bit too much on our skill right now and not playing together as a unit."
Some of that skill is with Lambert and Dylan Guenther, two players who have joined the Thunderbirds in the last month. O'Dette has them playing together on the top line and they have produced 18 points (8g, 10a) in a combined twelve games.
"It's pretty evident, two elite players that complement each other very well," said O'Dette. "They are dangerous and creating together every time they're on the ice. They really were a factor on the ice tonight and it's nice to see them create that chemistry right away."
It was Lambert who got the scoring started for Seattle with an unassisted breakaway goal at 5:52 of the first period. Then Lambert and Guenther assisted on the Thunderbirds second goal when Mekai Sanders scored with just ten seconds left in the opening frame.
For Sanders it was just his second of the season. He spent a good portion of the last year rehabbing from a knee injury and feels he's finally getting back to where he was a season ago. "Coming off my injury, the first thing to get back are my legs, my endurance. Just getting back in shape. Game scenarios come after that, and I think goal scoring will be next."
The Thunderbirds made it 3-0 with a Lucas Ciona power play goal at 14:18 of the second period. Lambert and Kevin Korchinski had the assists. Ciona says the power play is coming around with the recent editions to the roster.
"We're finding a way to get the puck in the net. It's not always gonna be pretty but as long as we're moving the puck around the zone well, we're gonna find something at some point," he then added, "When you're playing with talented players like that, it makes life a little easier. We just have to continue to work, do the right things and we'll continue to get rewarded."
O'Dette agreed with his captain's assessment of the power play. "It's trending in the right direction. Either we're scoring or we're getting momentum from it. Sticking with it and staying positive is leading to some good things. We did that tonight and it led to a big goal."
Things got interesting when Tri-City scored two goals just over two minutes apart late in the third period. Ciona's second goal of the night though, into an empty net with fifteen seconds left, squashed the comeback.
Seattle's next home game is Saturday when they welcome the Victoria Royals to the accesso ShoWare Center. Game time is 6:05 p.m.
T-BIRDS EXTRAS
Kyle Crnkovic was awarded a penalty shot at 5:53 of the third period after he was slashed on a shorthanded breakaway, but his shot deflected wide.
In two games this season against Tri-City, Seattle has been credited with 88 shots on goal.
The Thunderbirds have allowed just five goals in their last five games and a league low 120 goals on the season.
On Monday Thunderbirds goaltender Thomas Milic was named the WHL Goalie of the Week after winning both his starts this past weekend, including a shutout of Portland Saturday. Milic went 2-0-0-0 with a 0.50 GAA and a .984 save percentage.
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