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WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

T-Birds Slay the Giants

February 1, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


KENT, Wash. - Antonio Martorana recorded his first WHL hat trick to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Giants Friday at the accesso ShoWare Center. Braeden Cootes added a goal and an assist as the T-Birds moved within two points of a playoff spot in the Western Conference. Game two of Seattle's current three game homestand is Saturday when they host the Medicine Hat Tigers at 6:05 p.m.

"We're doing a lot of good things, we're seeing a lot of progress with our identity and the way we want to play," said head coach Matt O'Dette as the Thunderbirds picked up their third win in their last four games. "Really good team effort in these games we're winning. Tonight, for the most part, we played a mature hockey game."

Martorana opened the scoring just 96-seconds into the contest, knocking home a rebound off a Coster Dunn assist. Vancouver answered back three minutes later, and the game was knotted, 1-1, heading into the first intermission.

Period two was highlighted by special teams play as the two sides combined for five power plays with each team scoring once with the man advantage. The Giants earned their only lead of the game with a goal at 6:53. Seattle (17-27-2-1) tied it when Nathan Pilling backhanded in his 21st of the season with less than two minutes remaining. The assists went to Dunn and Cootes.

The T-Birds would add two more power play goals in the third period. Cootes scored the game winner at 5:47. Like Pilling's goal, it was his 21st of the season with Dunn and Radim Mrtka assisting. Martorana scored his second of the game, also on the power play, at 10:18. Hayden Pakkala and Kaleb Hartmann had the assists.

"There was a lot of special teams play tonight," remarked O'Dette. "Our power play stuck with it. We say all the time with special teams, it's when the key ones happen, and we got three power play goals the second half of the game."

Martorana completed his hat trick with four minutes left. "It was a pretty good game all around by us," said the second year T-Bird. "My teammates helped me with everything. Super nice to contribute tonight. We're making a playoff push here and we're going every night." Pakkala and Jaxson Pawlenchuk were credited with the helpers.

T-BIRDS EXTRAS

The T-Birds earned their first winning month of the season, finishing January 6-5.

Seattle ended the night 3-of-7 on the power play while limiting Vancouver to just 1-for-6.

With his three assists Coster Dunn now has 17 points (6g, 11a) in 14 games since returning from the Christmas break.

The T-Birds finished the four game season series against Vancouver with a 2-1-1-0 record.

Boxscore: Vancouver Giants at Seattle Thunderbirds - Friday, January 31, 2025

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