Game 25: Thunderbirds are downed by Medicine Hat
Nov 30, 2010, 10:02 PM | Updated: Apr 6, 2011, 11:23 am
(17-7-1-0)Medicine Hat Tigers 3, (11-7-3-4) Seattle Thunderbirds 1
Noebels with a penalty shot goal…Seattle drops third straight home game
KENT–The Thunderbirds were only able to manage one goal, a penalty shot tally by Marcel Noebels and lose their third in a row at home.
Medicine Hat goalie Tyler Bunz (11-5-1-0) took a Delay of Game penalty at 2:26 to put the Birds on an early power play. The Birds had one quick flurry and two shots however did not convert. The Birds would go back on the power play at 7:53 as Sebastian Owuya was called for Tripping. Medicine Hat’s Emerson Etem (18) broke down two on one and beat Calvin Pickard (11-7-2-4) to score a shorthanded goal and put the Tigers up 1-0. It was Etem’s fourth shortie of the season and the Tigers eighth. It was also the first shortie given up by the Birds this season. The goal was scored at 8:22 with an assist by Linden Vey.
The Birds would get their third power play of the period at the 11 minute mark when Thomas Carr was called for Kneeing. They didn’t get any shots on net. Several penalties were handed out with three minutes left in the period after a scrum behind the Birds net. It didn’t result in a power play for either team. With 1:36 remaining in the first the teams skated four on four after Brenden Dillon and Ryan Harrison were assessed Roughing penalties. The Birds got a four on three power play after Matthew Konan was penalized for Boarding. The power play would carry over into the second period.
Even though they had all four power play chances in the period the Birds were still out shot 19-9 as they went into the first intermission down 1-0.
The Birds didn’t score on their remaining power play time and early in the second period were 0 for 4 with the man advantage.
The Tigers got their first power play opportunity when Travis Toomey was given an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty at 10:44. The Tigers did not register a shot. The Birds nearly tied it up with just a few tics remaining in the period as Noebels hit the crossbar.
A better period defensively for the Birds but they still couldn’t get much going offensively. They continue to have trouble getting traffic in front of the net. Medicine Hat out shot the Birds 13-8 in the second period. After 40 minutes they led 32-17 in shots and 1-0 on the scoreboard.
Pickard was called for Delay of Game at 1:24 of the third period to put the Tigers on the power play. One second after the penalty expired Hunter Shinkaruk (9) skated in all alone and put one past Pickard to put Medicine Hat up 2-0. Toomey took his second penalty of the night at 8:08 when he was called for Slashing putting the Tigers on the power play for the third time. A weird bounce off the boards went into the crease and past Pickard to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. The goal was scored at 9:16 and was credited to Matthew Konan (2).
A penalty shot was awarded to Noebels when he was Slashed at 12:41 and he beat Tyler Bunz to make it a 3-1 game. It was Noebels 8th goal of the season. “If you work hard you get your chances,” said Noebels of his goal.”The penalty shot was part of that. The team played better after that we had some good shifts. Their third goal was just unfortunate.”
The teams skated four on four when Jacob Doty and Cole Grbavac were given Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalties at 13:01. At 14:52 Wacey Hamilton was called for Goaltender Interference putting the Birds on the power play. They couldn’t convert and went 0 for 5.
Seattle pulled Pickard with just over two minutes left for the extra attacker. With just over a minute left Luke Lockhart was called for Tripping giving the Tigers a power play and ending any chance for a comeback for the Birds.
The Tigers didn’t score with the man advantage.They went on to win the game 3-1.
Shots in the third period were 12-11 in favor of the Birds. Total shots were 43-29 in favor of the Tigers.
“In the first period we hade power play chances and didn’t score and they score the shorthanded one on the turnover,” said Rob Sumner about the missed opportunities by the Birds. “We got going a bit better in the second period, adding a physical element, same with the third period.”
When asked if the fluky goal that gave the Tigers a 3-0 lead could go in the ‘when it rains it pours’ category Sumner disagreed. “I look at it the other way, you work hard, you play a good brand of hockey and you get the bounces, that’s what happened for them.”
Pickard faced 43 shots and the shots against are now mounting up. Only a third of the way through the season Pickard is closing in on 1,000 shots faced. Sumner was asked if he’s concerned about those numbers.”Yes there is concern, we have to get better in several areas. Defensively and creating offense.”
The Thunderbirds now head on a four game road trip starting with Wednesday night in Kelowna. Sumner was asked if the team can get back to playing solid hockey with another road trip. “That’s what we’re going to try to do. We just played a hot team, and the teams we are about to play are hot. There are no easy games. We’ll be ready to go.”
When it comes to the Birds recent struggles on home ice, Noebels said it best. “We have to find a way to play better at home. We have to find a way to win.”
Game time in Kelowna is 7 pm. The game can be heard live at MyNorthwest.com.
Game Notes:
–Seattle drops to 4-4-1-2 at home.
-The Birds went 0 for 5 on the power play, Medicine Hat went 1 for 4.
-The Thunderbirds now head on a four game road trip (Kelowna, a pair in Prince George, Tri-City)
-Attendance at the ShoWare Center was announced as 2,726.
Game Summary:
1st Period-1, Medicine Hat, Etem 18 (Vey), 8:22 (SH). Penalties-Bunz M.h (delay of game), 2:26; Owuya M.h (tripping), 7:53; Carr M.h (kneeing), 11:00; Grbavac M.h (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 16:30; Kessy M.h (tripping), 16:30; Doty Sea (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 16:30; Ramsay Sea (roughing), 16:30; Harrison M.h (roughing), 18:24; Dillon Sea (roughing), 18:24; Konan M.h (boarding), 18:56.
2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Hamilton M.h (roughing), 10:44; Toomey Sea (unsportsmanlike cnd., roughing), 10:44.
3rd Period-2, Medicine Hat, Shinkaruk 9 (Grbavac, Harrison), 3:27. 3, Medicine Hat, Konan 2 (Coyle, Shinkaruk), 9:16 (PP). 4, Seattle, Noebels 8 12:41. Penalties-Pickard Sea (delay of game), 1:24; Toomey Sea (slashing), 8:08; served by M.h (penalty shot), 12:41; Grbavac M.h (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 13:01; Doty Sea (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 13:01; Hamilton M.h (inter. on goaltender), 14:52; Dillon Sea (10-minute misconduct), 18:53; Lockhart Sea (tripping), 18:53.
Shots on Goal-Medicine Hat 19-13-11-43. Seattle 9-8-12-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Medicine Hat 1 / 4; Seattle 0 / 5.
Goalies-Medicine Hat, Bunz 11-5-1-0 (29 shots-28 saves). Seattle, Pickard 11-7-2-4 (43 shots-40 saves).
A-2,726
Referees-Brett Iverson (24), Jeff Ingram.
Linesmen-Nathan Van Oosten (115), Jason Cramer (122).
