Thunderbirds Win Late Over Swift Current

By Korz206

The Seattle Thunderbirds (11-12-0-1) defeat the Swift Current Broncos (11-15-2-1) by the score of 4-2. Late game heroics were the story of this game in the Sho tonight! An amazing game put on by the Thunderbirds, who needed this win to end a 2 game losing streak. Swift Current got on the board in the 1st period with a goal from their Captain Vause (16). In the 2nd period the Tbirds get even on the power play by Aschim, his 6th of the season. Swift Current takes back the lead later in the 2nd period by Gordon (12). However, it was Tbirds there on out... Tying the game with about 3 minutes left in the 3rd period was Shea Theodore his 2nd of the season. Followed by another Tbird goal to take the lead by Lund his 8th of the season, giving everyone chills who were in attendance or listening at home. To ice off the Broncos Gallimore had a break away open net goal with 0.4 seconds left on the clock that displays the words "ShoWare Center, 4-2."

Swift current is top in WHL for power play offense, that meant nothing to the Tbirds as they are 3 for 3 in killing off the Broncos man advantage. Shea Theodore was the player of the game (1st star), and a player to watch in the future. This 16 year old can play the game, his ice presence is high for a kid of his age and his puck skills are also above average. But, he needs to work on his zone defense during the PP, but he has been solid. Another solid stat is the Tbirds on PP were 2-2, which won them the game for them. Another good sign is that Swift Current out shot the Tbirds 43-34, but Picks was big again tonight. Which still has me wondering how he did not make the Canadian Junior National Team?

Next Game: Friday (12/2/11) vs the Tri-City Americans (19-6-0-0) at the ShoWare Center.

Fun Fact: Some may argue that the Thunderbirds win vs the Americans, 2 weeks ago, was the best win since the team moved into the ShoWare Center in 2008.

Thunderbirds Streak Over in Loss to Prince George.

By Korz206

The Seattle Thunderbirds (10-11-0-1) lose in shootout to the Prince George Cougars (7-17-0-2) by a score of 3-2. Crowd in the ShoWare Center hit the mark of 4,500+. Only goal of the first period was by Fraser (7) of Prince George, 55 seconds into the game. After that, both teams were scoreless until the second period, when Jacob Doty gets his 1st of the season to knot things up at 1-1. Assisted by Troock, who again had a good game, not on the scoring sheet, but he won his 1 on 1 battles that are crucial. Marcel Nobles gave the Tbirds the lead with his 9th of the season assisted by Theodore. At this time everyone was quite pleased because it was Marcel Noebles bobble head night! Quite fitting for the winning goal, as we thought. But with 38 seconds left, the Cougars, with the 6-5 man advantage tied the game, when Inglish (8) redirected shot into the back of the net. Overtime gave both teams chances to win, neither capitalized. Thunderbirds, being the home team, chose to shoot first in the shootout. However, none of the 3 Tbird shooters could get the goal horn to blare that beautiful noise. And all it took was 1 goal for Prince George to get the win.

These are games the Tbirds need to grind out and win. This loss, ends a 3 game winning streak for the Tbirds and ends a 6 game losing streak for the Cougars. It is tough to lose to such a mediocre team when the Tbirds have been beating quality teams convincingly. Hard to judge where this team is at right now. You want to see them beat the good teams but you need to know they will bury the bottom dwellers, and that was not the case tonight. Another detail I saw was Noebels not getting his teammates involved to the point it was obvious. Maybe trying to make big plays on his bobble head night? Who knows... But we know this for certain, the Thunderbirds need a crucial bounce back win tomorrow night.

Next Game: Saturday night @ the Kamloops Blazers (15-7-1-0) at 7:00.

Fun Fact: The Kamloops Blazers have won more Memorial Cups than any team in the WHL, with 5.

Thunderbirds Fly Past Regina

By Korz206

The Seattle Thunderbirds (10-11-0-0) take down the Regina Pats (12-10-1-1) by a score of 5-2, in front of a crowd that tallied up to 3,074. Regina scored the first two goals of the game, coming out physical and fast. Wanting to bounce back from a loss to Portland the night before. However, the Tbirds answered, and the answer er was Troock. Branden Troock brought the Tbirds back into this game single handily. In the first period he split the deficit in half by scoring his 4th of the season assisted by Alos. Then 6:28 into the 2nd period his name was called upon again. With a dazzling pass by Nobles, Troock scored his 5th of the season but more importantly tied the game. That's all Pickard would need. His dominating performance started again in the 2nd period. With a not so strong 1st period, he came out quick and agile when the Tbirds needing him to.

Burke Gallimore gave the Tbirds the lead with his 11th of the season. Burke is white hot right now, the past 3 games he has a total of 6 points. With Colin Jacobs injured, he has really stepped up and carried the team. When some of the Tbird players seem slow, lackadaisical, and undetermined, Gallimore will be the exact opposite. He leads by example and that is doing your job, whatever helps the team get into the win column. The American born Kyle Verdino doubled the lead by scoring his 3rd of the season assisted by Lockhart. To put the nail in the coffin Chance Lund had a special goal. It was amazing to see him perform the way he did. Absolutely dazzling. He, also like Gallimore, have been in the mindset of team first. Lund is not only a scoring threat, but in my opinion the best PP killer Seattle has. This team has the potential to be special, and every night they lace up the skates they are proving it to Thunderbird Faithful.

Next Game: Friday (11/25/11) vs the Prince George Cougars (6-17-0-2) in Kent. Puck drops at 7:35.

Fun Fact: Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone, and through what the Tbirds fanbase has seen these last few years... Be Thankful for this teams performance so far the season!

Thunderbirds Down Rival Portland Winterhawks

By Korz206

The Seaattle Thunderbirds (9-11-0-0) defeat the Portland Winterhawks (14-8-1-1) tonight in front of a nearly sold out crowd at the ShoWare Center. The electrifying crowd witnessed a 6-3 win versus the hated I-5 rival. Scoring opened in the first period with Portland's Wells (4), but just moments later, a break away equalizer by Tbird Chance Lund, his 6th of the season. Beginning the 2nd period, the Thunderbirds had a 5-3 man advantage, capitolizing was Gallimore with his 9th goal. The Thundrbirds were electric the 2nd period, scoring 5 goals in total, from Lockhart (4), Sutter (3), Gallimore (9,10), and Theodore (1).

Thunderbirds make a real statement this weekend by taking two games from the top teams in the U.S. Division. Tbirds secure 4 points and are starting a win streak soon to grow bigger with the confidence rising of the young Tbirds. With Regina coming into town, the Tbirds have a high chance of making up some ground in the standings.

Calvin Pickard had another solid night in goal. Most of the night he was on either sides of his body or laying on the ice. Like I wrote in "Light at the End of the Tunnel", if Picks plays to his potential, the Tbirds are a playoff team. These last two home games have proved this. The Thunderbirds excuses losing to teams because they are "better teams" are over. They have proved they can play with the big boys and need to insert their dominance on the bottom dwellers and mediocre teams in the WHL.

Funny Sight- At the game tonight, as the two teams were leaving the ice, the Thunderbirds Zamboni driver got into a little skirmish with the Winterhawks assistant coaches. We almost had a fight after the game!

Next Game: Thunderbirds take on the Regina Pats (12-8-1-1) on Wednesday (11/23/11) at the Sho Ware Center in Kent.

Fun Fact: With tonight's win over Portland, the Tbirds snap a losing streak dating back to the beginning of last season vs the Winterhawks.

Thunderbirds Snap Tri-City's Winning Ways

Korz206

The Seattle Thunderbirds (8-11-0-0) defeat the Tri-City Americans (15-6-0-0) at the ShoWare Center in Kent tonight, by a score of 3-0. It was a stalemate for the first two periods of the contest but the Thunderbirds jumped out in front just a minute and 32 seconds into the 3rd period with a 5-3 PP goal by Aschim his 5th of the season. The Thunderbirds would not look back from there, 4 minutes later Lund put the puck into the back of the net for a 2-0 lead. Just under 3 minutes to play Tri-City pulls their goalie to no avail as Burke Gallimore puts his 8th goal of the season in between the pipes for the final score of 3-0.

The Tbirds snap a 5 game winning streak for Tri-City and a streak that dated back to last year when the Americans defeated the Tbirds 9 times in a row. The Americans lead the WHL in win % with .750. All in all this was a solid win for the Tbirds after being on the road for 2 weeks in the central division swing going 2-4.

Calvin Pickard was the star of the game, however. Picks has been struggling this year with easy goals finding the back of the net. However, tonight was a different story. He was a brick wall, it seemed like nothing would get past him. When he is hot the Tbirds are a playoff caliber team, however when he is off like the previous games, they are a bottom dweller. Let's hope this is the Picks we see the rest of the way out and if it is... Watch out WHL, the Thunderbirds are coming!

Next Game: The Thunderbirds will face off with the Portland Winterhawks (13-7-1-1) at the Sho tomorrow night (11/19/11) at 7:35. Or it can be streamed online at www.710sports.com

Fun Fact: The Winterhawks are one of the most hated rivals of the Tbirds, next to the Silvertips. Look for line fights and major penalty minutes tomorrow night.

Ice Slip Past Thunderbirds

Korz206

The Seattle Thunderbirds (7-11-0) fall to the Kootenay Ice (12-4-1-2) tonight in Cranbrook, 5-1. Thunderbirds did not show up the first 2 periods, other than a flash of offense from Justin Hickman with his 5th goal of the season, in the 2nd period. The Ice struck once in the 1st period with a goal from McKanely (3). The Ice then struck for two goals by Leach (3) and Antilla (2). As the 3rd period was winding down, Montgomery scored his 3rd of the season. The 5th goal of the game was an open net goal.

Cotton (2nd string net minder for the Tbirds) had a solid game, giving Pickard the night off. Not due to injury, but a planned game off. Cotton did not have his best game, but wasn't awful. The Tbirds defense did not help at all, turnover in our zone and poor puck control all added up to the 5 Kootenay goals.

Missed opportunities were the story of the night for the Tbirds. While the time ran down in the 3rd period the Tbirds had three break away chance, all the shots beat the goalie, but the goalies best friend was there to save him. The puck clanged off the cross bar three times, this sums up the game. To be great you have to finish, and that is what the Thunderbirds are struggling with.

Next game is Saturday (11/18/11) in Kent vs. the Tri-City Americans. Puck drops at 7:35 pm.

Fun Fact: Tri-City leads the U.S. Division, Tbirds in 4th.

Thunderbirds Stomp Hitmen

By Korz206

The Seattle Thunderbirds (7-10-0) defeat the Calgary Hitmen (8-9-1) 5-4 in Calgary tonight. The Tbirds started off the scoring in the first period when Lockhart had a crisp pass to Gallimore with his 8th of the season. Calgary answered with a goal of their own, but less than a minute later Conner Sanvido put the puck in the back of the net for his 3rd of the season. Later in the second period the Hitmen struck with two quick goals to give the home side the lead 3-2. Unlike previous game when the opposing team has taken the lead, the Tbirds awnser back with two goals of their own by Hickman his 3rd of the season and by Noebels his 8th of the young season. This ended the electrifying first period with 7 goals total, the Tbirds lead 4-3.

In the second period Calagary's Gogolev tied the game up with his 5th of the season. However, with 13 seconds left in the second period Justin Hickman scored his second goal of the game and 4th of the season. This proved to be enough to take down the Calgary Hitmen.

Thunderbirds goalie Calvin Pickard stumbled a little in this game but in the end came up when the Seattle needed it. He saved 23 of 27 shots, playing all game. This was a big win for the Tbirds after losing 3 on the road bounced back with a 2 game winning streak all on the road. Thunderbirds jump up in the Standings over Everett, Prince George, and Kelowna.

Next game is tomorrow night (11/12/11) vs the Kootenay Ice to end the central division road trip.

Fun Fact: The Kootenay Ice won the WHL title last season.

Light at the End of the Tunnel

By Korz206


The Seattle Thunderbirds are currently in 4th in the U.S Division and 7th in the Western conference. The Tbirds have been bit by the injury bug to start out the year. Colin Jacobs (Drafted by the Buffalo Sabres) has been out all season not due back until sometime in December. This has been a big blow to the Tbirds because he is a threat on the ice, a game changer. His skating is unbelievable, puck work nothing to laugh at, and the way he can finish off a play is outstanding. Jacobs had 44 points last year, one of the leaders for goals and assists on the Tbirds last season. However, as Tbirds fans we cannot all blame the lack of wins all on injuries. Poor performances have plagued the Thunderbirds for the last three seasons. With a new coach at the helm in Steve Konowalchuk and newly acquired players on the roster, there has to be time to gel. That is with any team and every team. It seems every Tirds game is the same as the last. Strong first period, lackadaisical second period, and horrific third periods, which have led to scores of 6-1 or 7-2 and so on. For a team who has traded numerous Bantam draft picks for strong defensemen to control the Tbirds half of the ice, this should be "their year". And quite frankly, they have been playing not to their potential. So this, Thunderbirds fans, is why I see light at the end of the tunnel:

1) Calvin Pickard (Drafted by the Colorado Avalanche) is playing the best he has and is a top 3 goalie in the WHL.
2) When Colin Jacobs returns to the ice that will give the Tbirds a much needed shot in the arm, sparking games where the Tbirds will score 4,5, or even 6 goals.
3) With all these new faces in the locker room, they need time to get to know each other playing styles.
4) New coaching means knew schemes and plays. Every game the Tbirds are applying more and more pressure to the puck, which is exactly what Coach Konowalchuk wants.
5) And finally, this roster is just too talented for another underachieving year, I see this team making it to the playoffs, and as my favorite quote states, "Anything can happen, that's why they play the game".

So Seattle Thunderbirds fans, I leave you with this... There is light at the end of the tunnel! Hockey has long seasons for a reason. Look for a quick bounce back and for our boys to start climbing up in the standings.

GO TBIRDS!