T-Birds beat the stuffing out of Giants | WHL

Barzal, Gropp trigger 6-1 victory over Vancouver

January 22, 2017 10:10 am
The Thunderbirds’ Mathew Barzal looks to fire a shot at Giants goalie David Tendeck during WHL play Saturday night at the ShoWare Center. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse/T-Birds

The second-largest crowd of the season, 6,149 fans, saw six goals from the Seattle Thunderbirds and 6,795 teddy bears and stuffed animals shower the ShoWare Center ice Saturday night.

Mathew Barzal and Ryan Gropp paced the T-Birds with three points each in a 6-1 Western Hockey League victory over the Vancouver Giants on the Fred Meyer Teddy Bear Toss presented by WARM 106.9 Night.

Seattle (25-15-3-1) took a 1-0 lead at 9:30 of the first period. Gropp carried the puck up the ice and passed it to Barzal just inside the blue line on the left wing. Barzal made a saucer pass to Turner Ottenbreit, who one-timed the pass. Ottenbreit’s shot deflected off a defenseman and past Vancouver goalie David Tendeck.

Immediately after the goal, fans threw teddy bears and stuffed animals onto the ice. The bears and stuffed animals, which were collected by the WARM 106.9 Teddy Bear Patrol, will be donated to local police and fire departments to be given to children in times of crisis.

The T-Birds extended the lead to 2-0 at 14:43 of the first. Tyler Adams was in front of Tendeck and took a backhand shot that missed the net. Barzal got the loose puck and skated behind the Vancouver net from right to left. At the bottom of the left circle, Barzal took a wrist shot that beat Tendeck on the short side. Jarret Tyszka had the second assist.

A great individual effort by Gropp put the T-Birds up 3-0 at 8:03 of the second period. Gropp split the Vancouver defense down the slot with some deft stickhandling moves. As he was falling down he crossed the puck to Alexander True over the top of the crease as Tendeck went down. True puck the puck under Tendeck’s glove as the goalie dove across to try and make the save.

Seattle outshot Vancouver 17-5 in the second period and led 33-9 in total shots after two periods.

Barzal gave the T-Birds a 4-0 lead at 6:03 of the third period.

Vancouver (17-27-1-2) got on the board 7:09 of the third on a goal from Calvin Spencer.

Sami Moilanen scored from on top of the crease at 9:40 of the third to put the T-Birds up 5-1.

Luke Ormsby capped the scoring for the T-Bird at 11:36 of the third period.

Seattle outshot Vancouver 13-7 in the third period and 46-16 in the game.

Seattle goalie Rylan Toth had 15 saves and his record is now 21-15-1-0.

Tendeck made 40 saves and his record is now 17-27-1-2.

Tickets

Fans may purchase single-game tickets online or at the ShoWare Center box office.

Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Ottenbreit 4 (Barzal, Gropp), 9:30. 2, Seattle, Barzal 5 (Adams, Tyszka), 14:43. Penalties – Jones, Van (high-sticking), 4:32. Adams, Sea (delay of game), 12:14. Ormsby, Sea (roughing), 16:45.

Second period – 3, Seattle, True 14 (Gropp), 8:03. Penalties – Neuls, Sea (hooking), 5:57. Popowich, Van (unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:27. Strand, Sea (major-fighting), 12:45. Spencer, Van (major-fighting), 12:45. Rattie, Van (slashing), 15:36. Bench, Sea (too many men-served by Ormbsy), 15:36. Popowich, Van (holding), 19:30.

Third period – 4, Seattle, Barzal 6 (Kolesar, Gropp), 6:03. 5, Vancouver, Spencer 11 (Popowich), 7:09. 6, Seattle, Moilanen 14 (Neuls, Strand), 9:40. 7, Seattle, Ormsby 4 (Adams, Bear), 11:36. Penalties – Hardy, Van (roughing), 19:28. Ormsby, Sea (roughing), 19:28.

Shots on goal – Seattle 16-17-13 46, Vancouver 4-5-7 16. Goalies – Seattle, Toth 16 shots-15 saves (21-15-1-0); Vancouver, Tendeck 46-40 (3-7-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 0-3; Vancouver 0-3. A – 6,146. Referees – Brett Iverson, Troy Paterson. Linesmen – Zach Brooks, Adam Brastad.