T-BIRDS DRILL OIL KINGS
Rai, O’Brien and Parker each have three point night in 8-2 win over Edmonton
SEATTLE — Prab Rai had a goal and two assists and Jim O’Brien had two goals and an assist to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to an 8-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings Tuesday night at KeyArena.
The T-Birds took a 1-0 lead at 18:57 of the first period on the sixth goal of the year from Jim O’Brien. Jonathan Parker got the puck to Prab Rai at the Seattle blue line. Rai took off up ice on a two-on-two with O’Brien on his left. At the top of the right circle Rai crossed the puck to O’Brien in the slot. O’Brien redirected the puck through Edmonton goalie Torrie Jung’s legs with a backhand shot.
Seattle (5-10-1-1) outshot Edmonton 13-5 in the first period.
Seattle went in front 2-0 at 9:04 of the second period. O’Brien made a move around an Edmonton defender on a one-on-one and got a backhand shot on Jung. The puck rebounded to the right of the goal. Parker, crashing the net, corralled the rebound and beat Jung high from a sharp angle. Devon LeBlanc had the second assist on the goal.
The Oil Kings got on the board at 11:21 of the second when Clayton Cumiskey scored an unassisted goal in a four-on-four situation.
O’Brien struck again at 19:31 of the second to give the T-Birds a 3-1 lead. Rai skated the puck into the Edmonton zone on the right side and then made a backhand pass to O’Brien in the high slot. O’Brien stickhandled to the bottom of the right circle and beat Jung with a shot over the shoulder on the stick side. The shot grazed Jung’s shoulder before going into the corner of the net. Sena Acolatse had the second assist on the goal.
Rai put the T-Birds in front 4-1 when he scored on a breakaway 31 seconds into the third period. Rai took the puck in the neutral zone on the right side and came in on Jung at a slight angle. Rai beat Jung over the glove with a quick wrist shot. Parker and Stefan Warg had assists on the goal.
Greg Scott was taken down on a shorthanded breakaway at 8:43 of the third and awarded a penalty shot. Scott beat Jung five-hole on the penalty shot to put the T-Birds up 5-1.
Cam Lanigan replaced Jung in goal for Edmonton after the fifth Seattle goal. Jung made 26 saves on 30 shots and registered the loss. Jung’s record is now 3-2-0-1.
T.J. Foster scored a power-play goal at 12:26 of the third to get the Oil Kings second goal. Tomas Vincour and Jeff Lee had the assists.
LeBlanc scored unassisted at 12:50 of the third to give Seattle a 6-2 lead. LeBlanc came off the left boards with the puck and went around an Oil Kings defender. He beat Lanigan over the shoulder on the stick side for his fourth goal of the year.
Scott scored a second shorthanded goal at 17:21 of the third to make it a 7-2 lead for Seattle. Lindsay Nielsen and Thomas Hickey had the assists.
Acolatse scored a power-play goal at 19:49 of the third for the final Seattle goal. Acolatse beat Lanigan from the right point with a slap shot. Brenden Silvester and Jeremy Boyer had the assists.
Seattle outshot Edmonton 11-6 in the third period and 38-27 in the game.
Seattle goalie Calvin Pickard made 25 saves on 27 shots and improved his record to 3-6-1-1.
Lanigan made four saves on eight shots.
The T-Birds next game is Friday, November 7, against the Red Deer Rebels at KeyArena at 7:35 p.m.
T-Birds season tickets are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825. Purchasing a season ticket will ensure fans can attend the T-Birds first game in their new home, the Kent Events Center.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, O’Brien 6 (Rai, Parker), 18:57. Penalties – Jung, Edm (delay of game-served by Breitkreuz), 6:53.
Second period – 2, Seattle, Parker 2 (O’Brien, LeBlanc), 9:04. 3, Edmonton, Cumiskey 4, 11:21. 4, Seattle, O’Brien 7 (Rai, Acolatse), 19:31. Penalties – Scott, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 9:27. Neigum, Edm (hooking), 9:27. Warg, Sea (tripping), 14:31.
Third period – 5, Seattle, Rai 11 (Parker, Warg), :23. 6, Seattle, Scott 3, 8:43 (pen/sh). 7, Edmonton, Foster 3 (Vincour, Lee), 12:26 (pp). 8, Seattle, LeBlanc 4, 12:50. 9, Seattle, Scott 4 (Nielsen, Hickey), 17:21 (sh). 10, Seattle, Acolatse 2 (Silvester, Boyer), 19:49. Penalties – Cloud, Sea (major-fighting), 1:03. Pearson, Edm (major-fighting), 1:03. Raedeke, Edm (goaltender interference), 6:55. Hickey, Sea (cross checking), 11:13. Lund, Sea (tripping), 17:03. Soudek, Edm (interference), 19:38.
Shots on goal – Seattle 13-14-11 38. Edmonton 5-16-6 21. Goalies – Seattle, Pickard 27 shots-25 saves (3-6-1-1); Edmonton, Jung 30-26 (3-2-0-1), Lanigan 8-4. Power plays – Seattle 1-3; Edmonton 1-3. A – 2,971. Referee – Trevor Hanson, Brett Iverson. Linesmen – Zach Brooks, Kevin Boris.
