Roddy Ross made 46 saves to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 4-1 Western Hockey League win over the Everett Silvertips at the accesso ShoWare Center on Saturday night.
Ross stopped 12 shots in the first period and 17 shots in the second and third periods. His record is 10-4-0-1.
Seattle (23-27-5-1) remain the second wild-card playoff team in the Western Conference, five points ahead of the Kamloops Blazers. The Blazers have two games in hand on the T-Birds.
Everett took a 1-0 lead on Bryce Kindopp’s power-play goal at 15:48 of the first periods on assists from Conner Dewar and Zack Andrusiak.
Seattle tied it up 1-1 at 17:09 of the first on Andrej Kukuca’s power-play goal. Matthew Wedman chased the puck behind the Everett after a scramble play. Wedman sent the puck back into the crease and Kukuca jammed it past Everett goalie Dustin Wolf. Noah Philp had the second assist.
Kukuca has a four-game goal streak. Wedman has a seven-game point streak, and Philp has a six-game point streak.
The T-Birds went in front 2-1 at 11:12 of the second period. Wedman won a faceoff in the left circle back to Jarret Tyszka at the left point. Tyszka took a slap shot with traffic in front of Wolf, beating the goalie over the glove for his sixth goal of the season.
Wedman extended the lead to 3-1 at 8:47 of the third period on the power play. Henrik Rybinski passed the puck from behind the net to Wedman in the slot and he one-timed the puck over Wolf’s glove for his 31st goal of the season. Kukuca had the second assist.
Everett pulled Wolf with 2:40 left in the game for an extra attacker, and the T-Birds capitalized five second later. Philp passed the puck up the left boards to Payton Mount in the neutral zone. Mount hit the empty to secure the win. Jake Lee had the second assist.
Wolf had 24 saves on 27 shots.
TV game
The T-Birds travel to Portland to take on the Winterhawks at 4 p.m. Sunday. The game is being televised on JOEtv Channel 22/110.
For future game home tickets, visit the T-Birds website or the ShoWare box office.
Fans who purchase the 24-flex ticket package will be able to select any available premium seat for any game, in any ticket combination, during the season.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Everett, Kindopp 33 (Dewar, Andrusiak) 15:48 (pp). 2, Seattle, Kukuca 21 (Wedman, Philp), 17:03 (pp). Penalties – McNelly, Sea (cross checking), 4:04. Bauer, Sea (holding), 15:31. Holmes, Evt (unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:19.
Second period – 3, Seattle, Tyszka 6 (Wedman), 11:12. Penalties – Williams, Sea (interference), 1:01. McNelly, Sea (cross checking), 6:44. Khaira, Evt (cross checking, 10-minute misconduct), 19:55. Vitelli, Evt (cross checking), 19:55. Rybinski, Sea (10-minute misconduct), 19:55. Richards, Sea (roughing), 19:55.
Third period – 4, Seattle, Wedman 31 (Rybinski, Kukuca), 8:47 (pp). Penalties – Fasko-Rudas, Evt (roughing), 3:10. Andrusiak, Evt (goaltender interference), 8:21. Kukuca, Sea (high-sticking), 10:28. Berezowski, Evt (10-minute misconduct), 19:47. Holmes, Evt (checking to the head, roughing), 19:47. Kindopp, Evt (10-minute misconduct), 19:47. Paterson, Evt (10-minute misconduct), 19:47. Bauer, Sea (roughing), 19:47. Carpendale, Sea (10-minute misconduct), 19:47. Lee, Sea (10-minute misconduct), 19:47. Volcan, Sea (10-minute misconduct), 19:47. Wedman, Sea (10-minute misconduct), 19:47. Dewar, Evt (10-minute misconduct), 20:00. Kaluski, Sea (10-minute misconduct), 20:00.
Shots on goal – Seattle 12-8-8 28, Everett 13-17-17 47. Goalies – Seattle, Ross 47 shots-46 saves (10-4-0-1); Everett, Wolf 27-24 (34-13-1-1). Power plays – Seattle 2-4; Everett 1-5. A – 5,300. Referees – Michael Bean, Colin Watt. Linesmen – Michael Bean, Nathan Van Oosten.
