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WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

Thunderbirds Zero Out Portland

February 12, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


PORTLAND, Ore. -Behind goaltender Thomas Milic's 35-save performance, the Seattle Thunderbirds shut out the Portland Winterhawks, 3-0, Saturday at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. It was Seattle's league best eighteenth road win and improved their overall mark to 38-9-1-1. The Thunderbirds return home Tuesday to host the Tri-City Americans. Game time at the accesso ShoWare Center is 7:05 p.m.

"I think I did a pretty good job of keeping it even keel through the whole game," said the Thunderbirds netminder. "Whether it was a lot of shots in a short amount of time or not many shots over a longer stretch, I was just trying to be a steady foundation on the back end and help our team generate some chances on the other end."

Thunderbirds head coach Matt O'Dette said Milic was the difference in the game. "He was outstanding. That's the playoff Milly we've seen a lot of over the last year. We relied on him a little bit too much tonight, but man was he good."

After a scoreless first period, Seattle got the only goal they would need when Kevin Korchinski scored on the power play at 11:58 of the second period. Brad Lambert and Lucas Ciona earned the assists.

The Thunderbirds would tack on two more goals in the third period. Lambert flung a puck on net at 13:38, and it deflected in off the skate of a Portland player. The assists went to Reid Schaefer and Dylan Guenther.

The goal was Lambert's second on the weekend and fifth since joining the Thunderbirds a month ago, but he too deflected the credit for the win to Milic. "Milly really, really played awesome and kept us in it. He got us the win and the top spot in the division."

58-seconds after the Lambert goal Sam Popowich struck, finishing off a 2-on-1 rush with Gracyn Sawchyn. Nolan Allan also was credited with an assist, his third of the weekend. He said with Milic playing so well, they wanted to back up his effort. "Obviously we have a lot of trust in Milly. We know what he can do so we're trying to do everything for him because he keeps us in games."

The Winterhawks have lost just twice in regulation on home ice this season and both losses have come to Seattle, something not lost on O'Dette. "It's tough to win in this building. We persevered and got the job done."

Following the home game on Tuesday, the Thunderbirds will be in Kennewick on Friday for a rematch with the Americans at the Toyota Center.

T-BIRDS EXTRAS

The win puts Seattle two points up on Portland in the U.S. Division standings, as well as the Western Conference, with two games in hand.

Milic has stopped 80 of the last 82 shots he has faced. The shutout was his second of the season and the sixth for Seattle.

Over their last four games the Thunderbirds have surrendered just three goals, outscoring the opposition twelve to one. The 118 goals allowed through their first 49-games is the fewest in the league.

The win evened the season series between Seattle and Portland at 3-3-0-1. The two teams will meet five more times.

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