Winterhawks Even Series with 8-5 Win
April 3, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release
Portland Winterhawks vs. Seattle Thunderbirds
(Seattle Thunderbirds, Credit: Brian Liesse/Seattle Thunderbirds)
KENT, April 2, 2015 - The Portland Winterhawks defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 8-5 Thursday night at the ShoWare Center. Seattle's loss evened the best-of-seven playoff series at two games apiece. Game 5 of the series is Saturday at 6pm at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland.
Game 6 is on Tuesday, April 7 at the ShoWare Center at 7:05pm will be a Director's Mortgage 2-for-Tuesday game. All tickets for Game 6 are 2-for-1 and ShoWare Center will feature concession specials including $2 beer, $2 hot dogs, $2 soda and $2 popcorn for all fans. Tickets for Game 6 are available now 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, and Saturday 10 am to 2 pm.
Taran Kozun stopped 17 of 22 shots before being replaced in goal by Logan Flodell, who stopped 19 of 21. Adin Hill got his second win of the playoffs after stopping 34 of 39.
Chase De Leo scored a goal in the first minute of the game to put Portland up. Keegan Iverson's shot was stopped by Kozun, who attempted to squeeze the puck between his pads and his stick. Oliver Bjorkstrand was able to jar the puck loose which gave De Leo a chance to deposit it in the back of the net as De Leo crashed the net. The goal was De Leo's first of the series.
Portland scored again at 2:15, with Alex Overhardt potting the goal this time. Overhardt circled up from behind the net into the faceoff circle and fired away. The puck went just over Kozun's glove for the goal.
Ryan Gropp's hot series continued with a goal at 17:43 that made it just a one-goal deficit for the T-Birds. Shea Theodore found Roberts Lipsbergs in the slot to start the attack. Lipsbergs was facing away from the net but managed to spin around and pass to Gropp, who was cutting down along the wing. Gropp's one-timer was in the back of the net before Hill could leap back into position, making it 2-1.
Portland led 10-9 in shots in the first period.
Adam Henry's goal for Portland at 8:41 made it 3-1. Henry had room to skate deep into the slot as a Seattle defender pressured him from behind before beating Kozun glove-side. The goal came during a stretch of four-on-four hockey and was assisted by Keoni Texeira and Bjorkstrand.
A power-play goal by Nic Petan stretched Portland's lead to 4-1. The goal came at 10:06 and was assisted by Henry and Bjorkstrand.
Iverson added another goal for the Winterhawks at 15:03. De Leo's shot beat Kozun but was aiming to trickle past the opposite post before Iverson tapped it in for the goal. Flodell took over in net following this goal. The assists went to De Leo and Alex Schoenborn.
Shots were 16-11 Portland in the second period.
Mathew Barzal scored for the T-Birds at 1:17. A pass from Gropp left Barzal one-on-one as he entered the zone. Barzal was forced a bit outside but was still able to flip a backhand shot through Hill's pads for the goal. The goal was Barzal's third of the series, while Gropp's assist gave him six points in four games.
Dominic Turgeon scored for the Winterhawks after a giveaway behind the net. Miles Koules' pass trickled out into the slot from there, where Turgeon skated in and fired away as quickly as he could. The goal made it 6-2 Portland.
The T-Birds kept at it despite the deficit and got another goal back, this time from Alexander True. Theodore took a point shot during the dying embers of a power play that True was able to tip through Hill's five-hole for his second goal in two games. Ethan Bear had the secondary assist on the power-play goal.
Bjorkstrand scored a power-play goal at 12:30 to make it 7-3 Portland. Petan passed the puck to De Leo, who slipped a backhand pass through his legs to Bjorkstrand on the other side of the goal.
A speedy sequence of passes led to a Bear goal at 14:59. Barzal found Turner Ottenbreit from across the zone, followed by Ottenbreit feeding Bear at the top of the slot. Bear's shot found home after zipping between Hill's glove and shoulder.
Another power-play goal cut Seattle's deficit to two goals with 2:50 left in the game. Theodore took a shot from the faceoff circle that beat Hill, who was dealing with a perfect screen in the crease.
Petan's empty net goal at 18:43 put an end to Seattle's comeback, making it 8-5 Portland.
Shots were 19-18 Seattle in the final frame.
Seattle vs. Portland First Round Series
Game 1 - Seattle 4, at Portland 3
Game 2 - At Portland 3, Seattle 0
Game 3 - At Seattle 5, Portland 2
Game 4 - Portland 8, at Seattle 5
Game 5 - Seattle @ Portland, April 4 6:00 pm (VMC)
Game 6 - Portland @ Seattle, April 7 7:05 pm
Game 7 - Seattle @ Portland, April 8 7:00 pm* (VMC)
*If necessary
Images from this story
 Portland Winterhawks vs. Seattle Thunderbirds (Brian Liesse/Seattle Thunderbirds) |
 Portland Winterhawks vs. Seattle Thunderbirds (Brian Liesse/Seattle Thunderbirds) |
Western Hockey League Stories from April 3, 2015
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- Wong Named Finalist for Humanitarian of the Year - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Tigers Score 5 and Down Rebels to Take 3-1 Series Lead - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Americans Name Eric Comrie Playoff MVP - Tri-City Americans
- Vickerman Finalist for WHL's Humanitarian of the Year - Tri-City Americans
- Conference Finalists for WHL Humanitarian of the Year Announced - WHL
- Hockey Hounds Donate to Hurricanes Education Fund - Lethbridge Hurricanes
- Tigers Defeat Rebels 5-3 - Red Deer Rebels
- Winterhawks Even Series with 8-5 Win - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Royals Blank Cougars; Game 5 Saturday - Victoria Royals
- Winterhawks Even Series with 8-5 Game 4 Win in Seattle - Portland Winterhawks
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