Game 52: Thunderbirds losing streak stretches to nine as they fall to the Oil Kings
Feb 1, 2011, 9:43 PM | Updated: Apr 6, 2011, 11:23 am
(24-24-0-3) Edmonton Oil Kings 4, (18-25-4-5) Seattle Thunderbirds 2
Elliot with a goal…Brossoit makes 32 saves
KENT– Facing an Eastern Conference opponent with a sub .500 record did little to help the Thunderbirds get back on track as they blow a third period lead and drop their ninth straight game with a 4-2 loss to Edmonton.
Edmonton went on the power play at 3:06 of the first period when Justin Hickman was called for Tripping. They did not convert.
The Birds went to the power play at 7:04. Keegan Lowe went to the box for Tripping. They didn’t convert and had one shot on net.
Some back and forth action with flurries at both ends but it really felt like both teams were feeling each other out for the first 20 minutes.
There was no scoring in the first and shots were 17-12 in favor of Edmonton.
The Birds got a power play opportunity at :59 of the second period. Lowe was called for Tripping. They did not convert and got one shot.
They went back to the power play when Lowe took his third penalty of the game at 10:25. He was called for Hooking.
The Oil Kings scored a shorthanded goal to take a 1-0 lead. Travis Ewanyk scored his ninth goal of the season at 10:53. “You get to a point where you know they’re short so you kinda let down your guard thinking they will chip in it and they didn’t,”said Rob Sumner. “We were lackadaisical in front of the net, we had the numbers there to prevent the goal but we let them get to the rebound.”
The Birds found themselves down 1-0 at the end of two periods. Shots in the second period were 8-6 in favor of the Birds. Edmonton lead 23-20 overall.
The Birds tied the game 1-1 when Mitch Elliot knocked in his fourth of the season at 1:57 of the third period. Colin Jacobs got the assist.
Seattle took a 2-1 lead at 3:01. Brendan Rouse (8) put one past Laurent Brossoit (8-8-0-0). The Assist was from Dave Sutter.
The Oil Kings tied the game 2-2 on a controversial goal. There was no call on the ice and it had to go to the video review booth where it was deemed to be a goal. “The ref didn’t know how it entered the net and so he was making sure it was a good goal,” said Sumner. It was scored by Kristians Pelss (8) at 10:11.
Edmonton went up 3-2 at 12:01. Dylan Wruck scored his 29th goal of the season. “The goal was terrible coverage,” said Sumner. “They had a pretty good player wide open in the slot.”
The Birds went to the power play at 13:52. Mark Pysyk was called for Hooking. They did not convert and had four shots.
Edmonton went on the power play at 16:25 when the Birds were called for Too Many Men. They did not convert.
With one minute left Calvin Pickard (18-23-3-5) was pulled in favor of the extra attacker.
Jordan Hickmott (22) put it in the empty net to finish the scoring as Edmonton goes on to win 4-2.
Shots in the third period were 19-14 in favor of Edmonton. They also out shot the Birds 42-34 overall.
The Birds saw a team tonight that was very beatable and they had a 2-1 lead after two quick goals early in the third. A sloppy play led to the tying goal and then the eventual winning goal was a breakdown in coverage as described by Sumner. He was asked how you address those kinds of breakdowns, which we have seen far too many times this season. “We continue to address it with film, practice and meetings. Coverage should be pretty automatic in our zone and at times it’s not for us.”
It seemed as though the Birds may have been a bit rattled after the tying goal. They had just taken the lead and were playing well but things went downhill from there. “I wouldn’t use the word rattled,” said Sumner. We worked hard to get momentum and then we gave it back.”
The Birds have now lost nine in a row. They only have three wins since the Holiday break. They have fallen out of the playoff picture at least for now. This is all sounds eerily like what happened at almost the exact same time last season. Sumner was asked if the team is having a ‘here we go again’ mindset. “It’s a little bit different. It sounds like an excuse and I don’t mean it to be. We have two D-men out, tonight we had Toomey out, we are really working some guys. We need to get healthy and have a little bit of success.”
When asked if the team was simply pressing and not having any fun Sumner simply replied, “Perhaps. It’s not fun when you’re not winning and we want to win.”
The Thunderbirds make their last visit to Everett on Friday night at 7:30 pm. The action can be heard live at MyNorthwest.com.
Game Notes:
– F Travis Toomey was out with a suspension for a hit at the end of the game against Everett on Sunday. It’s not yet determined how long he will be out.
– When asked if either D Ryan Button or D Travis Bobbee would be able to return this weekend, Sumner said it was a “possibility.”
– D Taylor Green made his WHL debut.
– The Birds home record drops to 7-13-1-3.
– Seattle was 0 for 4 on the power play. Edmonton was 0 for 2.
Game Summary: (courtesy of the WHL website)
1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Hickman Sea (tripping), 3:06; Lowe Edm (tripping), 7:04.
2nd Period-1, Edmonton, Ewanyk 9 (Rachinski, Van de Mosselaer), 10:53 (SH). Penalties-Lowe Edm (tripping), 0:59; Lowe Edm (hooking), 10:25.
3rd Period-2, Seattle, Elliot 4 (Jacobs), 1:57. 3, Seattle, Rouse 8 (Sutter), 3:01. 4, Edmonton, Pelss 8 (Foster, Pysyk), 10:11. 5, Edmonton, Wruck 29 (Hickmott, Stephenson), 12:01. 6, Edmonton, Hickmott 22 19:38 (EN). Penalties-Pysyk Edm (hooking), 13:52; Hickman Sea (too many men), 16:25.
Shots on Goal-Edmonton 17-6-19-42. Seattle 12-8-14-34.
Power Play Opportunities-Edmonton 0 / 2; Seattle 0 / 4.
Goalies-Edmonton, Brossoit 8-8-0-0 (34 shots-32 saves). Seattle, Pickard 18-23-3-5 (41 shots-38 saves).
A-3,141
Referees-Jason Nissen (91).
Linesmen-Chris Carlson (92), Adam Brastad (132).
