T-Birds Streak Ends in Spokane
February 26, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
Spokane, WA. - The Seattle Thunderbirds fell, 5-3, to the Spokane Chiefs Friday in their final trip this season to the Spokane Arena. The loss snapped the T-birds seven-game winning streak. Seattle gets back on the ice tomorrow as they host the Everett Silvertips at Climate Pledge Arena in the Battle of the Sound. Game time is 6:05 p.m.
"You take a team lightly, you don't come out and play like you need to play and that's what happens," said a frustrated head coach Matt O'Dette.
After a scoreless first period, Seattle (30-12-4-1) got on the board first at 5:05 of the second period, on Conner Roulette's 17th goal of the season as he put home a rebound off a Lukas Svejkovsky shot. Kevin Korchinski earned the first of his two assists on the night. Spokane tied the game with an unassisted power play goal from Regan Wiles at 11:54. The T-birds responded quickly with a power play goal of their own from Reid Schaefer less than two minutes later with the assists going to Korchinski and Henrik Rybinski.
The third period belonged to Spokane as the Chiefs would outscore Seattle, 4-1, and outshoot them 15-9. Bear Hughes scored twice and added an assist to lead the Chiefs comeback. Carter Streek had the game winner at 16:29.
"We didn't have much going on in the third," said O'Dette. "They ramped it up and we didn't. We didn't have the jump from the get-go and it got worse in the third period."
What made it more frustrating for O'Dette was this loss came on the heals on what he said was arguably their best game of the year, last Saturday in a 5-1 win down in Portland. But he said he knows his players will bounce back. "It's disappointing for sure, but we haven't had many of these. We're a resilient team, we've got character and we'll bounce back from it but certainly disappointed."
The Thunderbirds got a late power play goal from Jeremy Hanzel with 24-seconds remaining, his seventh of the season, but it was too little too late. Sam Oremba and Mekai Sanders earned the assists on Seattle's final goal.
In addition to their game at Climate Pledge Arena Saturday, the T-birds host the Kelowna Rockets at the accesso ShoWare Center Sunday at 5:05 p.m.
T-BIRDS EXTRAS
Roulette's second period goal was also his 100th point in the WHL. He reached the milestone in his 110th game.
Schaefer's goal ties him with Jared Davidson for the team lead in that category with 24.
The Thunderbirds were 2-for-2 on the power play and are 5-for-8 on the man advantage over their last two games.
Goaltender Scott Ratzlaff suffered his first regulation loss in goal. His record on the season is now 11-1-1-0 and 12-1-1-0 dating back to last season.
It was the first time all season the T-birds lost when leading after two periods. Prior to the loss to Spokane, Seattle had been 27-0-0-1 when entering the third period with a lead.
Western Hockey League Stories from February 26, 2022
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- Americans Take Down Silvertips in OT - Tri-City Americans
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- Giants Kick off Weekend with 4-0 Shutout Victory over Victoria - Vancouver Giants
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- Giants Blank Royals 4-0 Behind Vikman's Third Career Shutout - Victoria Royals
- Four-Goal Third Period Propels Spokane to 5-3 Victory over Seattle - Spokane Chiefs
- ICE Hand Medicine Hat 6-2 Loss - Winnipeg Ice
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