Winnipeg skates past Thunderbirds

Kubicek, Morozoff score in 5-2 loss

November 20, 2019 10:10 am
Thunderbirds center Henrik Rybinski, left, and Winnipeg’s Jesse Makaj scramble up the ice during WHL play Tuesday. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds
Thunderbirds center Henrik Rybinski, left, and Winnipeg’s Jesse Makaj scramble up the ice during WHL play Tuesday. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, T-Birds

The Winnipeg Ice defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-2 in a Western Hockey League game Tuesday night at the accesso ShoWare Center.

Seattle took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Simon Kubicek at 12:34 of the first period. Henrik Rybinski passed the puck from the right wall to Kubicek at the right point. Kubicek skated the blue line and took a wrist shot that beat Winnipeg goalie Jesse Makaj on the blocker side. Payton Mount had the second assist.

Winnipeg tied the game 1-1 at 15:06 of the first on Brad Ginnell’s power-play goal. The Ice went in front 2-1 at 6:06 of the second period on Jackson Leppard’s goal.

Michal Teply scored a power-play goal 42 seconds into the third period to give the Ice a 3-1 lead.

Alex Morozoff cut the Ice lead to one at 3:08 of the third. Conner Bruggen-Cate drove wide on the left wing past the defenseman and around the net. Bruggen-Cate attempted to score on a wraparound and the puck came into the slot right to Morozoff, who beat Makaj as the goalie lunged right to left to make the save.

Winnipeg took the two-goal lead back at 3:28 of the third on a goal from Teply.

Seattle pulled goalie Roddy Ross for an extra with 2:14 left in the third period. Winnipeg’s Reece Harsch hit the empty net with 2:01 left to get their fifth goal.

Notes

The T-Birds travel to Kamloops to play the Blazers at 7 p.m. Wednesday. They are back on Kent ice for games on Friday to play the Kelowna Rockets at 7:35 p.m. and on Saturday to face the Saskatoon Blades at 6:05 p.m.

Single-game tickets are on sale online and at 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 2019-20 season.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Kubicek 3 (Rybinski, Mount), 12:34 (pp). 2, Winnipeg, Ginnell 8 (Leppard, Harsch), 15:06 (pp). Penalties – Hartje, Wpg (tripping), 11:38. Rybinski, Sea (slashing), 13:03. Gottfried, Sea (tripping), 17:48.

Second period – 3, Winnipeg, Leppard 6 (Johnson), 6:06. Penalties – Morozoff, Sea (tripping), 19:00.

Third period – 4, Winnipeg, Teply 9 (McClennon), :42 (pp). 5, Seattle, Morozoff 4 (Bruggen-Cate), 3:08. 6, Winnipeg, Teply 10 (Harsch), 3:28. Penalties – Kubicek, Sea (holding), 4:40. Krebs, Wpg (slashing), 10:16. Rybinski, Sea (hooking), 11:00.

Shots on goal – Seattle 8-9-11 28, Winnipeg 7-16-15 38. Goalies – Seattle, Ross 37 shots-33 saves (6-7-2-1); Winnipeg, Makaj 28-26 (6-6-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 1-2; Winnipeg 1-5. Referees – Troy Paterson, Stephen Campbell. Linesmen – Erik McLaughlin, Cameron Wetmore.