T-Birds Take Down Tigers
February 1, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
KENT, Wash. - Scott Ratzlaff stopped 31 shots through regulation and overtime and eight more in the shootout as the Seattle Thunderbirds edged the Medicine Hat Tigers, 4-3, Saturday at the accesso ShoWare Center. The win moves Seattle into a tie for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Seattle returns to the ice next Friday when they host the Spokane Chiefs. Game time is 7:05 p.m.
We've got some confidence going," said head coach Matt O'Dette of a team that has won four of their last five home games. "We're playing some good hockey. We knew it was going to be a challenging game against a really good team, but we knew if we duplicated the efforts we've been getting recently, we'd give ourselves a chance to win."
After a scoreless first period, Seattle (18-27-2-1) would build a two goal lead through the first fourteen minutes of the second period. Coster Dunn scored on the power play at 6:16, assisted by Radim Mrtka. Dunn now has seventeen points (7g, 10a) in his last fifteen games. Eight minutes later Matej Pekar stole a puck near the Tigers blue line, skated in and would score unassisted, his fifth goal in his last five games.
Medicine Hat would battle back, scoring the next three goals to take the lead with just over seven minute remaining. The T-Birds answered with a Hayden Pakkala tying goal at 14:23 of the third period. Pakkala's 11th of the season came off a goal mouth scramble in front of the Tigers net. Simon Lovsin and Sawyer Mayes earned the assists.
After a scoreless overtime, the shootout would go eleven rounds before Radim Mrtka put the T-Birds ahead and Ratzlaff sealed it by stopping Medicine Hat's final shooter.
Ratzlaff, meanwhile, has now won his last four starts. "He's played well for us all year, not necessarily getting the bounces or the play in front of him," remarked O'Dette of his netminder. "But we know what he's capable of and it's showing. The team is playing better in front of him but he's shutting the door."
T-BIRDS EXTRAS
Seattle improved their shootout record this season to 6-1.
All five games the T-Birds played this season against the five Central Division teams went past regulation. The T-Birds finished with a record of 3-0-1-1.
Four of the T-Birds seven wins the past month have been against either division or conference leaders.
The Thunderbirds are 7-5 in 2025.
Western Hockey League Stories from February 1, 2025
- Chiefs Top Silvertips in 10-3 Rout - Everett Silvertips
- Cougars Claim Third Straight Win with 5-2 Victory Over Tri-City - Prince George Cougars
- T-Birds Take Down Tigers - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Americans Fall To Cougars For Second Straight Night - Tri-City Americans
- Tigers Fall 4-3 to Seattle in Shootout - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Hawks Come Up Short Against Royals On Saturday Night - Portland Winterhawks
- Chiefs Start February with Dominant 10-3 Win Over First Place Silvertips - Spokane Chiefs
- Prince Albert Pulls Away Saturday For 5-2 Win Over Wenatchee - Wenatchee Wild
- Simcoe Sensational As Oil Kings Shut Out Hurricanes - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Warriors Shut Out By Rebels - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Wheat Kings Pull Away, Pats Drop Tight Contest - Regina Pats
- Wheat Kings Close Out Saskatchewan Swing With Win Over Pats - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Game Preview: Cougars vs. Americans - Prince George Cougars
- Game Preview: Game 51 at Seattle Thunderbirds - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Preview: Oil Kings Look to Start February Strong against Hurricanes - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Broncos Close out BC Division Swing in Kelowna - Swift Current Broncos
- Game Day Hub: February 1 vs. Victoria - Portland Winterhawks
- Cougars Allow Season Low 19 Shots in 4-3 Win Over Tri-City - Prince George Cougars
- Rockets Downed by Silvertips - Kelowna Rockets
- Preview: Americans at Cougars - February 1, 2025 - Tri-City Americans
- Discipline Biggest Factor in Giants' Loss to Seattle - Vancouver Giants
- Americans Drop First Of Three Straight Games To Prince George - Tri-City Americans
- Zakreski Nets Two as Winterhawks Fall to Tigers on Friday Night - Portland Winterhawks
- Chiefs Dethrone Victoria with Convincing 5-1 Win over B.C. Leaders - Spokane Chiefs
- Broncos Stumble in Kamloops - Swift Current Broncos
- Tigers Win 12th in a Row - Medicine Hat Tigers
- T-Birds Slay the Giants - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Oil Kings' Comeback Falls Short Against Hitmen - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Wild Staved off in Saskatoon Friday, 4-2 - Wenatchee Wild
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