Thunderbirds topple Winterhawks in overtime thriller, 4-3

Tyszka scores dramatic, game-winning goal | VIDEO

December 31, 2017 9:00 am
The Thunderbirds’ Jarret Tyszka reaches to fire the puck past Winterhawks goalie Cole Kehler for the game-winning goal in overtime Saturday night at the access ShoWare Center. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian LIesse, T-Birds

The Seattle Thunderbirds came back from two one-goal deficits in the third period to defeat the rival Portland Winterhawks 4-3 in overtime at the accesso ShoWare Center on Saturday night.

Jarret Tyszka won the game at 3:53 of overtime. Dillon Hamaliuk had the puck at the right point and send it low to Matthew Wedman. Tyszka pinched down from the blue line and took a pass Wedman in the slot. Tyszka was in alone on goalie Cole Kehler and took a shot while being hooked to the ice. Kehler made the save but Tyszka, while horizontal with the ice, reached back with his stick and swept the puck past Kehler.

The T-Birds raced from the bench and mobbed Tyszka as the 5,667 fans in attendance went into delirium.

The T-Birds are in Portland to play the Winterhawks at 7 p.m. Sunday in the rivalry’s annual New Year’s Eve game.

Seattle was down 2-1 goal entering the third period. Samuel Huo quickly corrected that by scoring his first career goal 10 seconds into the period. Zack Andrusiak forced a turnover behind the Portland net and centered the puck to Huo in the slot. Huo chipped the puck over Kehler’s glove.

Portland took the lead back 3-2 at 5:10 of the third when Skyler McKenzie put back a rebound.

Nolan Volcan tied the game 3-3 at 13:32 of the third on the power play. Austin Strand had the puck along the left boards and passed it to Andrusiak coming off the bench. Andrusiak took a shot that Volcan tipped past Kehler for his 16th goal of the season.

Seattle goalie Liam Hughes had 31 saves and improves his record to 5-4-1-0.

Portland (22-12-1-1) took a 1-0 lead 44 seconds into the second period on a power-play goal by McKenzie. Brendan De Jong and Ryan Hughes had the assists.

Seattle (17-14-4-1) came right back and tied the game 1-1 17 seconds after Portland’s goal. Nikita Malukhin passed the puck to Noah Philp on the goal line to the right of the Portland net. Philp found Jake Lee at the top of the left circle. Lee took a slap shot that beat Portland goalie Cole Kehler over the glove.

The Winterhawks took the lead back at 15:14 of the second on a power-play goal by Alex Overhardt. Hughes got a piece of the puck but it got through him and trickled across the goal line. Hughes and De Jong had the assists.

The Winterhawks outshot the T-Birds 34-33 in the game.

Kehler had 29 saves and his record is 18-8-1-1.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – No scoring. Penalties – Wedman, Sea (hooking), 4:54. Gricius, Por (slashing), 6:31. Ottenbreit, Sea (roughing), 19:39.

Second period – 1, Portland, McKenzie 25 (De Jong, Hughes), :44 (pp). 2, Seattle, Lee 2 (Philp, Malukhin), 1:01. 3, Portland, Overhardt 8 (Hughes, De Jong), 15:14 (pp). Penalties – Ottenbreit, Sea (slashing), 7:16. Strand, Sea (slashing), 14:07.

Third period – 4, Seattle, Huo 1 (Andrusiak), :10. 5, Portland, McKenzie 26 (De Jong, Hanus), 5:10. 6, Seattle, Volcan 16 (Andrusiak, Strand), 13:32 (pp). Penalties – Philp, Sea (holding), 10:30. Ottenbreit, Sea (roughing), 11:46. Overhardt, Por (double minor-roughing), 11:46.

Overtime – 7, Seattle, Tyszka 5 (Wedman, Hamaliuk), 3:53. Penalties – No penalties.

Shots on goal – Seattle 6-11-9-7 33, Portland 12-7-15-0 34. Goalies – Seattle, Hughes 34 shots-31 saves (5-4-1-0); Portland, Kehler 33-29 (18-8-1-1). Power plays – Seattle 1-2; Portland 2-5. A – 5,667. Referees – Bryan Bourdon, Mike Langin. Linesmen – Michael Bean, Brett Mackey.