T-Birds notebook: Split in Tri-City and the World Cup effect
Sep 13, 2016, 12:09 PM | Updated: 12:34 pm
(Thunderbirds photo)
The recent change in weather can mean only one thing: The WHL regular season is getting closer.
After splitting a pair of preseason games this past weekend, the Thunderbirds have two more exhibition games left before they drop the puck for real on Sept. 24 in Portland.
Pigulski: Thunderbirds’ Jared Pelechaty retires from hockey
The T-Birds edged the Kootenay Ice 4-3 in a shootout on Friday afternoon in Kennewick. Seattle forced overtime by tying the game late in the third period on a power-play goal by Mathew Wedman. In the shootout, Nick Holowko was the only shooter to convert, giving Seattle the win. Goalie Ryan Gilchrist played the first half of the game, allowing one goal on 12 shots. He gave way to Carl Stankowski, who allowed two goals but shut out the Ice in overtime and during the shootout.
Seattle didn’t fare as well on Saturday against the host Tri-City Americans. The T-Birds allowed three power-play goals and dropped a 4-2 decision. Ethan Bear and Alexander True both found the net for the T-Birds in the loss.
Here’s what else is new with the T-Birds:
World Cup of Hockey effect
All eyes will be on the newly created World Cup of Hockey this weekend as NHL players will represent their respective countries in a made-for-TV event. The tournament will have a trickle-down effect on the WHL and the T-Birds.
The preliminary round of the two-week tournament starts Sept. 20 and since NHL players are participating, NHL training camps have been moved back. With training camp pushed back, the prospect camps are also starting later than normal. That means Seattle will be without many of its top players this weekend and most likely at the start of the regular season.
Seattle will continue to be without Mathew Barzal this weekend as he will attempt to make the New York Islanders’ roster. But they will also miss Keegan Kolesar, who will be at the Columbus Blue Jackets’ camp; Ethan Bear, with the Edmonton Oilers; Scott Eansor, with the Montreal Canadiens; and Turner Ottenbreit, who will be with the New York Rangers. How long all of these guys are with the pro camps remains to be seen but don’t be surprised if they miss the first two or three regular-season games.
The T-Birds aren’t the only team affected by this as many WHL clubs will be short-handed to start the season. Because of that, we may see some skewed results early on.
Sami back on the ice
Sami Moilanen, Seattle’s new import, had looked good during training camp but suffered an injury in the team’s first preseason game against Everett over Labor Day weekend. The team didn’t think the injury was serious and he was back in action in Kennewick. That’s good news for the T-Birds as they will need all the offense they can muster while they have guys away at NHL camps. Moilanen chipped in for an assist in Saturday’s loss to Tri-City.
Rookie D-men get a look
With the unfortunate early retirement of defenseman Jared Pelechaty last week, Seattle will start the season with some green players in the sixth and seventh slots on the back end.
Reese Harsch and Tyson Terretta are the two players who seem to be slotted in those roles. They are the only remaining rookies on the roster. With Bear and Ottenbreit gone this weekend, they will be moved up in the rotation and will need to play well. Terretta got on the scoreboard against Kootenay with a first-period goal and Harsch has looked solid to start the preseason as well.
The T-Birds could also be in the market for a more veteran player, but it won’t be former Vancouver Giant defenseman Brennan Menell. The Minnesota native had asked the Giants for a trade and as a puck-moving 19-year-old might have been a good fit in Seattle. That won’t be happening, however, as the Giants struck a deal to send Menell to the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Monday.