Thunderbirds outlast Giants in shootout | WHL

Moilanen, Strand score in 3-2 win over Vancouver

October 11, 2017 10:30 am
The Thunderbirds’ Sami Moilanen brings the puck up the ice against the Giants during WHL play Tuesday night. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds

The Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Vancouver Giants 3-2 in a Western Hockey League shootout Tuesday night at the accesso ShoWare Center.

Vancouver goalie Todd Scott stopped Sami Moilanen, the T-Birds’ first shooter, in the shootout. Ty Ronning came out for Vancouver and beat Seattle goalie Liam Hughes with a move to his backhand putting the puck high.

Nolan Volcan was stopped by right pad save by Scott and then Hughes denied James Malm with a poke check.

Noah Philp, the T-Birds’ third shooter, beat Scott with a snap shot high on the glove side. Hughes stopped Milos Roman to send the shootout to sudden death.

Zack Andrusiak gave the T-Birds a 2-1 lead in the shootout with a shot over the blocker of Scott. Brad Morrison needed to score to keep the shootout going for the Giants. Hughes denied Morrison attempt to put the puck through the goalie’s legs to secure the win for the T-Birds.

Seattle (4-2-0-1) took a 1-0 lead 1:50 into the first period on Moilanen’s team leading eighth goal of the season. Volcan pushed the puck up the left wing to Moilanen for a two-on-two break. Moilanen cut to the high slot and beat Scott underneath the blocker.

Vancouver (2-3-0-1) tied the game 1-1 at 3:47 of the first on a goal from Brayden Watts. Bowen Byram and Brendan Semchuk had the assists.

Vancouver outshot Seattle 13-9 in the first period.

The T-Birds went in front 2-1 at 12:50 of the second period on a power-play goal by Austin Strand. The goal came just as a five-on-three power play was ending. Donovan Neuls passed the puck to Jarret Tyszka in the right circle. Tyszka crossed the puck to Strand in the left circle. Strand one-timed the pass past Scott high for his fourth goal of the season.

The Giants tied the game 2-2 at 19:22 of the second on a goal from Brad Morrison. Matt Barberis and Dylan Plouffe had the assists.

The Giants outshot the T-Birds 35-26 in the game.

Hughes had 33 saves to get his first win as a T-Bird.

Scott had 23 saves in the loss.

Up next: Victoria

The T-Birds play the Victoria Royals at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at the ShoWare Center.

Single-game tickets for the regular season are on sale online on the T-Birds website and at the accesso ShoWare Center box office.

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

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Moilanen 8 (Volcan), 1:50. 2, Vancouver, Watts 4 (Byram, Semchuk), 3:47. Penalties – McNelly, Sea (cross checking), 5:36. King-Cunningham, Van (roughing), 5:36. Kannok Leipert, Van (hooking), 10:23. McNelly, Sea (major-fighting), 13:42. King-Cunningham, Van (major-fighting), 13:42. Ormsby, Sea (hooking), 15:25.

Second period – 3, Seattle, Strand 4 (Tyszka, Neuls), 12:50. 4, Prince George, Morrison 2 (Barberis, Plouffe), 19:22. Penalties – Kannok Leipert, Van (delay of game), 10:47. Hamaliuk, Sea (roughing), 12:40. Holt, Van (roughing), 12:40. Volcan, Sea (boarding), 17:00.

Third period – No scoring. Penalties – Kannon Liepert, Van (tripping), 4:42. Briscoe, Sea (tripping), 13:46. Ronning, Van (interference), 14:53. Neuls, Sea (interference), 15:48.

Overtime – No scoring. Penalties – No penalties.

Shootout – Seattle 2 (Moilanen NG, Volcan NG, Philp G, Andrusiak G). Vancouver 1 (Ronning G, Malm NG, Roman NG, Morrison NG).

Shots on goal – Seattle 8-11-5-1-1 26, Vancouver 13-8-10-4-1-0 35. Goalies – Seattle, Hughes 35 shots-33 saves (1-1-0-0); Vancouver, Scott 25-23 (0-2-0-1). Power plays – Seattle -15; Vancouver 0-4. A – 4,008. Referees – Sean Raphael, Adam Griffiths. Linesmen – Michael Ellis, Mark Heier.