Memorial Cup Day 3: Seattle hoping to rebound against Windsor

WINDSOR, Ontario – Rain swept over Windsor on Sunday and the Seattle Thunderbirds are hoping to have it wash away the bad taste from their 4-2 Game 1 loss to the Erie Otters.

Seattle had an optional morning skate on Sunday in preparation for an evening match up with the host Windsor Spitfires. Game time for Sunday’s game is slated to start at four o’clock Pacific Time and will be televised on NHL Network in the Seattle area.

The Thunderbirds’ players were not happy with their opening game performance, one that was plagued by uncharacteristic mistakes and turnovers. In his pre-game press scrum, head coach Steve Konowalchuk talked a lot about how many of his team’s mistakes were unforced and that they need to get back to playing a predictable game.

Windsor is playing its second game of the tournament after beating the Saint John Sea Dogs in Friday’s Memorial Cup opening tilt.

Coming into the tournament, the Spitfires weren’t given much of a chance. Afterall, they are the only club here that did not win their league title. In fact, Windsor bowed out of the OHL playoffs in the first round and had several weeks to sit and wait.

After beating Saint John on Friday however, they got everyone’s attention.

“We probably got a little bit of respect after our win against Saint John,” Windsor head coach Rocky Thompson said Sunday morning. “We’re going to see the best that every team has to offer moving forward. Our guys are ready for that, prepared for that and we know Seattle is going to be really good tonight.”

Thompson was at the Thunderbirds game against Eire on Saturday and says that his squad has a tough challenge ahead of them.

“These guys are champions and we’re going to have to play our best hockey,” Thompson said of the T-Birds. “Way better than we played against Saint John if we’re going to hope to win tonight.”

Toth back on the ice

Seattle goalie Rylan Toth is finally healthy and back skating with the team. He was suited up and served as Carl Stankowski’s back up during Saturday’s game against the Eire Otters.

Toth suffered a lower-body injury back in March and hasn’t appeared in uniform since.

“It’s really good to be with the team, it’s been a long time,” he said after Sunday’s morning skate. “Even just practicing with the guys has been nice. Just being out there, hearing the guys hooting and hollering, joking around has been nice.”

Make no mistake about it, Toth was a big part of the Thunderbirds’ success this season. The injury he suffered forced him to watch as Stankowski and the team have ripped through the playoffs and into the Memorial Cup.

Being relegated to the press box is not something that Toth wanted to have happen in his last year of junior hockey, but he’s enjoying the ride. When Seattle beat the Regina Pats in last week’s Game 6 to win the WHL Championship, the smile on his face lifting the cup was unmistakable.

“It’s a pretty special moment,” Toth said of winning a championship. “Years of hockey kind of flash before your eyes and you think about all the hard work you’ve put in. It’s a good accomplishment for the team and you looked around and 30 guys, coaches, team, staff, everyone had a huge smile of their face.”

With the way that Stankowski has played it makes sense that he remains the starter. Toth says that he has talked to the younger goalie a bit about handling the Memorial Cup pressure. Toth, of course, played in the Memorial Cup last season as a member of the Red Deer Rebels.

His role with the Thunderbirds has now changed.

Instead of being the number one guy, he now is the back up but he knows that he has to be ready to go, just in case.

“I approach it as if I’m playing right up until puck drop and then take my seat on the bench,” Toth said. “Wait and stay focused and if something were to happen that they need me, I’ll be ready to go.”

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