T-Birds Slip by Tri-City in Overtime
November 7, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
Kent, WA. - Jordan Gustafson's second goal of the game lifted the Seattle Thunderbirds past the Tri-City Americans, 4-3, in overtime Saturday at the accesso ShoWare Center. It was the T-birds seventh straight win overall, and fourth of the season over Tri-City. Next up for the Thunderbirds is another home game. Seattle hosts the Portland Winterhawks next Friday, November 12th at the accesso ShoWare Center. Game time is 7:05 p.m.
Head Coach Matt O'Dette said it wasn't a perfect game, but he appreciated the effort from his players. "I thought it was really good. There were a few loose moments with our power play in the second period. I didn't like the shorthanded goal and a couple breakaways while we were on the power play". He said they rebounded from the second period miscues with a third period that saw them outshoot the Americans 22-to-2. "The guys buckled down. That third period was really good. We needed to go out there and play the right way to win the game and the guys did that."
It was the third straight game on the schedule between Seattle and Tri-City and just as in the previous two, the Americans scored first. Conner Bouchard potted his first of the season just over two minutes into the game. As was the case in the previous two meetings, the Thunderbirds had a quick response.
Gustafson scored on the power play at 6:14, assisted by Conner Roulette and Kevin Korchinski. Lucas Ciona then gave the T-birds their first lead with his second of the season at 9:59. Ciona knocked home a rebound of an Alessandro Segafredo shot. Henrik Rybinski earned the second assist. Ciona said it was a case of getting back to his game. "I felt really good tonight. I felt like I'm back to playing my game and going to the net hard, playing physical and not going over that line like I do sometimes. It felt really good tonight."
Tri-City tied the game in the second period with an Ethan Ernst shorthanded goal. Seattle regained the lead just past the midway point of the third period on Reid Schaefer's fifth goal of the season. Rybinski and Roulette once against had the helpers. But the Americans took advantage of a T-birds turnover three minutes later. Mark Lajoie's first goal of the season tied the game at three, setting up Gustafson's overtime heroics.
Roulette put the puck on net and Gustafson pounced on the rebound, snapping one under the bar 37-seconds into the extra period. Gustafson now leads the team in goals scored with eight. O'Dette says that is just one aspect of his young forward's game. "He's a 200-foot guy and I think his offensive skills are starting to shine right now. But he's one of our most responsible forwards, plays in all situations and is just as mindful of his play without the puck as he is with puck and that's a good characteristic to have."
The Thunderbirds ended up outshooting Tri-City 52-20. Americans goaltender Nick Avakyan made 48-saves in a losing effort. T-birds goalie Thomas Milic stopped 17 to earn his sixth win of the season.
T-BIRD EXTRAS
Before the game, the WHL handed Seattle's Matt Rempe a TBD suspension. The league made the decision after reviewing a play in Friday night's 5-3 T-birds win in Kennewick. Originally there was no penalty called on the play in question. As a result, Rempe was not in the lineup for Seattle Saturday.
Rybinski's two assists stretched his point streak to seven games. Gustafson has points in six straight. Roulette finished the night with three assists and has five points (1g, 4a) in his last three games.
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