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WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

T-Birds Settle for Weekend Split

January 19, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


KENT, Wash. - Despite a third period push, the Seattle Thunderbirds could not catch the Kelowna Rockets and fell, 5-2, Saturday at the accesso ShoWare Center. As a result, the T-Birds settle for a split of their two weekend games versus Kelowna and are once again five points back of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Thunderbirds homestand continues Tuesday when they host the Vancouver Giants at 7:05 p.m.

For the third time in their last four games the Thunderbirds fell behind by three goals before mounting a late comeback. Twice previously they were able to forge a tie, but not against Kelowna.

We didn't come out of the gates with the jump we needed to," remarked head coach Matt O'Dette. "When we got down, we turned it up the last half of the game, but this is the WHL and you can't win playing just thirty minutes."

Kelowna took a one goal lead into the first intermission thanks to a goal in the final two minutes of the first period. They added a second goal midway through the second period and a power play goal late in period two as well, stretching their lead to 3-0 after forty minutes.

Seattle (14-26-2-1) started their push back with a Hyde Davidson power play at 4:29 of the third, assisted by Radim Mrtka and Nathan Pilling. For Davidson, who missed the last two months to injury, it was his first goal of the season.

The Thunderbirds made it a one goal game when Brayden Holberton scored his third of the season with ten minutes remaining. The assists went to Sam Charko and Vanek Popil.

"They were a bright spot," said O'Dette of his fourth line getting the T-Birds to within one. "They did some good things, chipped in with a goal to cut the deficit to one. That's what you ask for from your fourth line, gave us some energy. That's huge."

With under three minutes remaining the T-Birds pulled the goalie for the extra skater, but twice the Rockets found the empty net to put the game away.

"You don't get rewarded when you don't play the full sixty," explained O'Dette. "Every play matters. You need sixty. Execution wise we weren't connecting on passes; we were over skating pucks. That went on all night and we didn't cash in on our chances."

T-BIRDS EXTRAS

The Thunderbirds outshot Kelowna, 52-24, including 25-7 in the third period.

Vanek Popil was back in the lineup after serving a two-game suspension. Tai Riley served out the final game of his three game suspension and is eligible to return to action against Vancouver on Tuesday.

For the first time this season Seattle has zero players out with injury.

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