Roddy Ross leads Thunderbirds past Chiefs in nail biter
Jan 22, 2019, 11:25 PM | Updated: Jan 23, 2019, 7:12 am
Rookie goalie Roddy Ross won his first home start as the Thunderbirds edged Spokane (Brian Liesse/T-Birds)
(Brian Liesse/T-Birds)
KENT – The Thunderbirds were clinging to a 2-1 lead with six minutes left in Tuesday’s game against the Spokane Chiefs. Rookie goalie Roddy Ross was making his first home start and found himself face to face with Spokane star Jaret Anderson-Dolan.
The L.A. Kings prospect had the game-tying goal on his stick, but Ross laid out and somehow got his blocker on the shot to preserve the lead. It would be one of 35 saves he made on the night, and it was the biggest.
In the chaos of the game, he didn’t realize it was one of the league’s top players bearing down.
“I just see a guy and do what I do, I guess,” the rookie said after the game.
He would make a couple more saves, while the Chiefs deployed the extra skater, to stop the Spokane charge as the Thunderbirds would hold on to win 2-1. While the new guy Ross was making the saves, two of Seattle’s most veteran players teamed up to provide the offense.
Nolan Volcan and Matthew Wedman have combined to play 538 regular season games for Seattle and Tuesday night would set each other up for a goal to provide all the scoring that Ross and the Thunderbirds needed. The two veterans ended the night tied for the team lead with 18 goals apiece.
“I feel like when we’re buzzing we’re not even looking for each other, we just find each other,” Volcan said about his linemate. “It’s a good time to get hot, in the second half, and hopefully we keep playing well and carry it into the playoffs.”
Not only were Wedman and Volcan scoring, but they, along with winger Keltie Jeri-Leon, were matched up against Anderson-Dolan and New Jersey Devils first-round pick Ty Smith on nearly every shift. The two Spokane stars were held off the score sheet.
“Obviously two great players, both NHL caliber guys,” Volcan said. “Just play them hard and don’t give them anything for free. They’re going to earn their chances, they’re hard working guys but if we limit to them to the chances they earn and not hand it out, it’s easy to continue.”
For Seattle (17-21-4-1) it was the first win in the season series against the Chiefs and in the previous match ups, Spokane’s speed had given the Thunderbirds trouble.
Tuesday night would be a different story.
“There’s a stretch in the second where we were going up and down with them and I thought, ‘oh, lets slow this down a little bit’,” Seattle head coach Matt O’Dette said. “They’ve got some speed up front and they’ve got some D that come up from behind. No easy task, I thought our D did a good job of sensing danger and keeping the play in front of them, and then our back check was good.”
Wedman struck first for the Thunderbirds, just over four minutes into the game, when he buried his 18th of the year on a slick pass from Volcan. The goal would set a new career high in markers for the 19-year-old.
Spokane (24-15-2-3) tied the game with 15 seconds left in the first when San Jose Sharks prospect Jake McGrew buried his 19th on a Chief’s power play.
Goals at the end of a period can swing momentum but the Thunderbirds wrestled it back quickly to start the second period. On the period’s first shift, just 24 seconds in, Wedman stole the puck on the forecheck and found Volcan in the high slot. Volcan made one move and fired his 18th of the year over Spokane goalie Bailey Brkin’s blocker.
With a 2-1 lead, Ross would do the rest.
He would make 12 stops in the third period, holding onto the one goal lead, but never looked rattled or nervous by the moment or who he was facing.
“We’re starting to see how he is, he’s calm and cool,” O’Dette said. “He’s not creating extra work for himself and the team. He’s a bigger guy and is in position for those shots through traffic. He was great.”
In his brief WHL stint with the Thunderbirds, Ross’ record is 4-0-0-1 with a 2.11 goals-against average and .926 save-percentage. He’s a big part of the Seattle resurgence since the trade deadline where they have compiled a 6-2-0-1 record.
After a wild, high-scoring game Saturday night, the Thunderbirds found a way to win a tight checking game on Tuesday.
“We knew it was a test,” O’Dette said. “We know that the U.S. Division is a different animal. Lots of great teams, lots of speedy, dynamically offensive teams. We were excited for this test and see where we stack up against some of these teams.”
The win gives Seattle some momentum as it prepares for a crucial three-in-three weekend that starts Friday night when the Thunderbirds host the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the accesso ShoWare Center.
Notes
• Ross said that sitting on the bench during Saturday’s game helped calm his nerves coming into Tuesday. “That was huge,” he said. “Going in and not playing, just getting the crowd so you don’t go in and get nervous. The crowd here is crazy and good, you have to handle that and be calm.”
• Tuesday’s game was played nearly penalty free. Spokane went 1-for-2 with the man advantage while Seattle was just 0-for-1.
• With the win the Thunderbirds moved ahead of the Kamloops Blazers and Prince George Cougars for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference.
• Volcan’s goal in the second period ended up being the game-winning score. It was the second straight game he has scored the game-winner, after his short-handed goal on Saturday.
