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WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

T-Birds Tame the Wild

November 28, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


KENT, Wash. - For the second straight game the Seattle Thunderbirds went to a shootout and for the second straight game they got the same result, a win, as they defeated the Wenatchee Wild 3-2 Wednesday at the accesso ShoWare Center. The T-Birds now head out on the road for their next five games beginning with a pair this weekend in Victoria against the Royals.

"We'll take 'em anyway we can get 'em," commented head coach Matt O'Dette on a second straight win. "If we do a shootout every game, and we win, then we'll take it." O'Dette made the remarks even though he wasn't pleased with the team's first forty minutes.

"I thought the first forty wasn't our best," he said. "I thought we let some frustration get to us. Our habits weren't great." As a result, Seattle fell behind early, surrendering a goal to the Wild in the game's first minute.

It wasn't until the final minute of the second period when the T-Birds (8-13-2-1) finally got on the board with a shorthanded goal from Sam Charko. Charko's fourth of the season was set up by a hustle play from Antonio Martorana, who forced a turnover deep in the Wenatchee zone.

"I saw them fumbling it (the puck). (There was) not too much pressure down ice so I thought I'd get there as fast as I can and luckily it hit off me. I saw Chark's yelling for it and it was just a great finish by him."

Wenatchee regained the lead with a power play goal early in the third period. The T-Birds spent the rest of the period on the attack, looking for the equalizer and found it off the stick of Coster Dunn. It was Dunn's fifth goal in his last seven games, and it came off an assist from Simon Lovsin.

"I was busting down the left side," explained Lovsin of his effort. "I saw Dunner going down the back side and I just kind of flicked it with one hand to see if I could get it across to him and he made no mistake with the goal."

Tied at the end of regulation neither team could solve the game in overtime. The T-Birds got the only goal of the shootout from Matej Pekar to secure the win. Pekar is now 3-for-4 in shootouts this season.

"He's a skilled guy," said O'Dette of Pekar's shootout success. "He's got really nice hands and really good shoot out ability and he's playing some really good hockey for us."

The Thunderbirds next home game is December 8th when they host the Spokane Chiefs.

T-BIRDS EXTRAS

The Thunderbirds played Wednesday without Braeden Cootes, one of their top point producers. Cootes was playing for Team CHL at the CHL-USA Hockey Challenge back in Ontario.

Earlier in the day the T-Birds announced the signing of 2007 defenseman Radim Mrtka. Mrtka was Seattle's second round selection in the 2024 CHL Import Draft. He began the season playing professionally back in his home country of Czechia. Mrtka has been given an A rating (first round candidate) by NHL Central Scouting for the 2025 NHL Draft.

Of the Thunderbirds eight home games in the month of November, five went past regulation. Seattle went 3-0-1-1 in those games, earning eight of a possible ten points.

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