T-Birds Trip up Tri-City
March 17, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
KENNEWICK, Wash. - Hayden Pakkala scored once and added two assists as the Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Tri-City Americans, 5-1 Sunday at the Toyota Center. The win reduces the Thunderbirds magic number to clinch a playoff spot to one point entering the final week of the regular season.
"I thought we were on task from the start of the game," said head coach Matt O'Dette. "Much better effort, much better composure compared to Saturday. Definitely a more mature hockey game from our team."
Seattle (27-33-4-1) got the offense going early when Pakkala scored at 1:12 of the first period, assisted by Coster Dunn. Then at 11:37 of the period, Pakkala won a face off to the right of the Tri-City goal. He fed the puck back to Simon Lovsin who rifled in his tenth of the season giving the T-Birds a two goal lead going into the first intermission.
The T-Birds extended the lead at 5:30 of period two with Kaleb Hartmann scoring. Nathan Pilling and Tai Riley earned the assists. "I just saw Plllsy come up the wall and made a read, saw the player on him was close to him, so I slipped back and got a lucky poke," explained Hartmann of his third goal of the season. "There was a screen in front and I just put it right there."
The Americans lone goal came five minutes later and the teams left the after forty minutes with Seattle leading, 3-1.
The T-Birds put the game away with two more goals in the third period. Pilling redirected in a shot from the blue line from Ashton Cumby at 11:15, and with just under a minute left Sam Charko scored off another Pakkala assist.
Scott Ratzlaff turned aside 40 shots to earn the win in goal. "A little bit too high event game in some stretches," remarked O'Dette, "Scotty was, obviously, really good. Just calm and cool to shut some of that stuff down."
T-BIRDS EXTRAS
The win was the 27th of the season for the Thunderbirds equaling their win total from last season.
It was also the 250th coaching win for Matt O'Dette, the most in franchise history
Seattle can clinch the final playoff spot before they play again. A loss by the Kamloops Blazers would do it. The Blazers host the Victoria Royals Tuesday.
The win in net was the 86th in his Thunderbirds career for Scott Ratzlaff, third all-time in franchise history.
Western Hockey League Stories from March 17, 2025
- Cougars Sign Jaxon Larmand to WHL Scholarship and Development Agreement - Prince George Cougars
- Victoria Royals Mid-Week Preview: March 18th-19th - Victoria Royals
- Seattle Thunderbirds Add Rescheduled Game vs Tri-City Americans - Seattle Thunderbirds
- WHL Regular Season Game #690 Between Seattle and Tri-City Rescheduled - WHL
- Gavin McKenna Named Tempo WHL Player of the Week - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Blades Centre Williams Named WHL Rookie of the Week - Saskatoon Blades
- Americans suspended game vs Seattle rescheduled for Sunday, March 23 - Tri-City Americans
- Blades Goalie Evan Gardner Awarded WHL Goaltender of the Week - Saskatoon Blades
- McKenna Magic Headlines WHL Weekly Awards - WHL
- Winterhawks Weekly: Hawks Secure the No.5 Seed out West - Portland Winterhawks
- Rebels this Week - Red Deer Rebels
- March 17 - Canes Chatter - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Hawks Beat Giants 4-2 on Sunday Evening in Portland - Portland Winterhawks
- Giants Drop 4-2 Decision to Hawks - Vancouver Giants
- T-Birds Trip up Tri-City - Seattle Thunderbirds
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
