WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

T-Birds shoot down Rockets

Published on March 9, 2007 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


Kelowna, BC, March 9, 2007 - Brett Robertson had a goal and three assists Friday night to lead the Seattle Thunderbird to a 4-1 victory over the Kelowna Rockets Friday night at Prospera Place.

The T-Birds are now 34-19-3-11 and in third place in the US division. The T-Birds win combined with the Tri- City Americans loss to the Spokane Chiefs on Friday night moved the T-Birds to only two points behind the Americans for second place in the US Division. The T- Birds and Americans, who have a game in hand on Seattle, meet in the last game of the year, on Sunday, March 18, at KeyArena.

The T-Birds swept the four-game season series against the Rockets outscoring them 13-5 in four games. Thomas Hickey gave the T-Birds a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 17:56 the first period. Aaron Gagnon fed the puck to Brett Robertson at the right point. Robertson put a shot on goal that Kelowna goalie Torrie Jung stopped. The rebound came to Hickey to the right of the goal. Hickey put back the rebound for his eighth goal of the year.

Seattle outshot Kelowna 14-8 in the first period.

Seattle took a 2-0 lead at 16:36 of the second period. Robertson and Bud Holloway fought with two Kelowna defenders to get the puck out of the right corner. While the puck was in the corner Radek Meidl circled in the right face-off circle. When Robertson brought the puck out of the corner and up the right boards, Meidl curled towards the slot where Robertson hit him with a pass. Meidl then put a quick wrist shot past Jung that beat the goalie high on the glove side. It was Meidl's 16th goal of the year.

The T-Birds made it a 3-0 lead less than two minutes after the Meidl goal. David Richard carried the puck down the ice on the right side. He cut toward the Rockets goal, using his body to shield the puck from a Kelowna defender and made a centering pass. Robertson was charging to the slot, took Richard's pass and beat Jung low at 18:34 for his 14th goal of the year. Greg Scott had the second assist on Seattle's third goal.

Kelowna (20-39-5-4) outshot Seattle 10-9 in the second period but Seattle led 23-18 in total shots after two periods.

Scott gave the T-Birds a 4-0 lead at 3:56 of the third period. Robertson centered the puck out of the right corner to Scott in front of the Kelowna net. Scott beat Jung low for his 16th goal of the year. Benn Olson had the second assist on the goal.

The Rockets got on the board at 16:21 of the third period with a 5-on-3 power-play goal by Justin Bernhardt. Brandon McMillan and Luke Schenn had the assists.

Seattle head coach Rob Sumner replaced goalie Derek Yeomans with Jacob DeSerres with 1:55 left in the game. With the game in hand, Sumner decided to give DeSerres some ice time since the backup goalie had not played since February 3 against Portland. DeSerres did not play in a game during the T-Birds 10- game winning streak. DeSerres did not face a shot in his brief appearance.

Seattle outshot Kelowna 12-19 in the third period and 35-27 in the game.

Yeomans made 27 saves on 28 shots and improved his record to 28-12-3-9.

Jung made 31 saves on 35 shots and his record falls to 6-13-4-3.

Four of the T-Birds five remaining games are at KeyArena. The T-Birds next game is Sunday, March 11, at KeyArena against the Chilliwack Bruins at 5:05 p.m. They face the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday, March 14, at 7:05 p.m. and the Portland Winter Hawks on Friday, March 16, at 7:35 at KeyArena. They travel to Portland to face the Winter Hawks on Saturday, March 17, at 7 p.m. and then are back home at KeyArena for the season finale against the Tri-City Americans on Sunday, March 18 at 5:05 p.m.

Thunderbirds 10-game Playoff Ticket packages are currently on sale for the 2007 playoffs. Playoff ticket packages are available by calling 206-448-PUCK (7825). Playoff tickets may also be purchased at The Hockey Store located at 14326 124th Ave NE in Kirkland. For additional playoff ticket information call 206-448-PUCK.

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 9, 2007


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