T-Birds Push Past Giants
Published on February 28, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
LANGLEY. B.C. - Marek Sklenicka's 38 save effort was the catalyst as the Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Vancouver Giants, 4-1, Friday at the Langley Events Centre. After four straight games on the road, the Thunderbirds return home Saturday to the accesso ShoWare Center to play the Everett Silvertips. Game time is 6:05 p.m.
"That's what you need from your goalie when your team gets off to a slow start and isn't playing well," said head coach Matt O'Dette. "We didn't have our game in the right place at the start and he was there to bail us out."
Seattle (24-26-4-3) was outshot, 12-4, and fell behind 1-0 after one period. They regrouped and came out stronger in period two. "We weren't willing to do the hard things early," explained O'Dette. "We addressed that between periods and came out with a better work ethic and more willingness to do the hard things."
The T-Birds tied it on a Noah Kosick goal at 3:23, finishing off a passing play with Coster Dunn and Cameron Schmidt. They grabbed the lead for good just over six minutes later on Sawyer Mayes' goal. Ethan Bibeau and Brennan Hocher picked up the assists.
Seattle was 1-for-4 on the power play but that goal, midway through the third period from Coster Dunn, gave the T-Birds a two goal cushion. "It was a really timely goal," said O'Dette. "It was a simple. Take what's given. We had a shooting lane, took it and we got rewarded. It doesn't always have to be the prettiest." Radim Mrtka and Schmidt had the assists.
Schmidt, the former Giant, finished off the win and his three-point night, scoring into the empty net in the final minute. "Getting one to go in there at the end in the old barn, that was nice," he said. "But obviously getting the two points was the main goal." The goal was his 41st of the season.
T-BIRD EXTRAS
The win gave Seattle a sweep of their two road games in Langley this season, outscoring the Giants in the process, 7-2. The two teams meet once more, March 15th in Kent.
The win moved Seattle within three points of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
The T-Birds snapped a three-game road losing streak and a three-game losing streak overall.
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