T-Birds Turn out Lights on Giants
November 28, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
KENT, November 27, 2015 - Ryan Gropp had a goal and two assists and Mathew Barzal had three assists to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 5-3 win over the Vancouver Giants Friday night at the ShoWare Center.
The win gives the T-Birds a nine-game winning streak at ShoWare Center to start the season.
Seattle goalie Taz Burman had 21 saves on 24 shots to improve his record his to 6-3-0-0.
The T-Birds play the Moose Jaw Warriors Saturday at 7:05pm at ShoWare Center.
Seattle (16-7-1-0) took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Jarret Tyszka at 3:27 of the first period. Mathew Barzal passed the puck from the right boards to Sahvan Khaira at right point. Khaira crossed puck to Tyszka at the left point. Tyszka took a slap shot with traffic in front of Vancouver goalie Ryan Kubic. Tyszka's shot beat Kubic over the left shoulder for his third goal of the season.
Vancouver (5-16-2-2) tied the game 1-1 with a power-play goal of their own at 6:25 of the first. Ty Ronning knocked a puck past Seattle goalie Taz Burman on a scramble play in front of the net. Matt Barberis and Carter Popoff had the assists.
The T-Birds outshot the Giants 12-6 in the first period.
The teams came out for the second period but the ShoWare Center lights were not working. The teams waited for several minutes before the referees sent the teams back to the locker rooms to wait for the lights to come back on.
When the lights came back on the T-Birds started the period with good energy and scored three goals to take a 4-1 lead.
Seattle took the lead back at 5:42 of the second period courtesy of a four-on-three power-play goal from Ethan Bear. Ryan Gropp had the puck in the right corner and passed it to Bear in the right circle. Bear wired a slap shot past Kubic on the blocker side for his sixth goal of the season.
The T-Birds took a 3-1 lead at 9:27 of the second on Matthew Wedman's fourth goal of the season. Jared took a slap shot from the left point that Wedman tipped past Kubic.
Ryan Gropp scored his 14th goal of the season to put the T-Birds in front 4-1 at 12:27 of the second. Barzal passed the puck from the left corner to Gropp along the left boards. Gropp brought the puck off the boards and skated right at Kubic and snapped a wrist shot over the goalie's blocker.
Vancouver's Alec Baer cut the T-Birds lead to two goals at 15:20 of the second when he snuck the puck under Burman. Carter Popoff had the only assist on the goal.
Seattle outshot Vancouver 12-9 in the second period and led 24-15 in shots after two periods.
Seattle made it a 5-2 lead 2:57 into the third period. Barzal drew the defense towards him in the left corner and then made a saucer pass to Jerret Smith coming into the high slot. Smith beat Kubic on the glove side for his third goal of the year. Gropp had the second assist on the goal.
Matt Barberis scored at 15:42 to get the Giants third goal of the game. Dylan Plouffe and Trevor Cox had the assists.
Vancouver outshot Seattle 9-5 in the third period. The T-Birds finished with a 29-24 advantage in shots.
Kubic made 24 saves on 29 shots and his record falls to 0-7-1-0.
T-Birds single game tickets for the 2015-16 season are available online at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday 10 am to 5 pm Saturday game days at 10 am and Sunday game days at noon.
T-Birds season tickets are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
Western Hockey League Stories from November 28, 2015
- Oil Kings Hold on for 3-1 Win over Blades - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Pats lose 2-1 - Regina Pats
- Prince Albert scores twice in the third to come from behind in Swift Current - Prince Albert Raiders
- B-Sens Rally Falls Just Short - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Kubic Blanks Winterhawks - Vancouver Giants
- Winterhawks Fall 2-0 to Vancouver Saturday - Portland Winterhawks
- Blazers and Cougars on Shaw Saturday - Kamloops Blazers
- Game Notes: Broncos Host Raiders - Swift Current Broncos
- Lethbridge Doubles up Wheats - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Blazers Win 4-3 in Shootout over Cougars - Kamloops Blazers
- Game 23: November 28 vs. Brandon - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Hart, Silvertips Defense Crush Moose Jaw 5-0 - Everett Silvertips
- T-Birds Turn out Lights on Giants - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Thunderbirds Beat Giants 5-3 - Vancouver Giants
- Royals Downed by Rockets - Victoria Royals
- Tigers Come up Short against Rebels - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Brandon Hagel with 3 Points; Rebels Win 6-4 over Tigers - Red Deer Rebels
- Americans Rally Past Chiefs 6-5 - Tri-City Americans
- Leschyshyn Concludes Hat Trick, Game in OT - Regina Pats
- Whistle Sensational in Rockets 3-1 Win in Victoria - Kelowna Rockets
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