T-Birds make it six in a row with 3-2 shootout win over Tri City

KENT – Playing short-handed for the fifth time in seven nights, the Seattle Thunderbirds found a way to grind out their sixth win in a row Friday night.

They would have to put in some extra time for this one, though, as they beat the Tri City Americans 3-2 in a shootout in front of 4,744 fans at the ShoWare Center. Seattle got a goal and shootout conversion from Donovan Neuls along with 24 saves by Taran Kozun as they jumped into third place in the U.S. Division.

“It was a tough-fought game,” head coach Steve Konowalchuk said. “I thought they played a strong, grind-it-out game.”

Grinding it out is what the T-Birds have been doing since the holiday break. They continue to play without Shea Theodore and Alexander True, who are still at the World Junior Championships. Mathew Barzal and Ryan Gropp are still out with injuries and Friday afternoon the team learned that captain Justin Hickman would be suspended for two games for a spitting incident in their New Year’s Eve game in Portland.

Down that many key players meant that other guys would have to step up, and the best player for Seattle Friday was Scott Eansor. The hard-working, high-energy center logged a ton of ice time, forced the play with tough defense and set up Seattle’s two goals.

“He works hard,” Konowalchuk said of Eansor. “He’s so tenacious on the puck and he competes so hard, and that rubs off on guys and we’re getting more and more guys playing with that kind of tenacity.”

For Eansor, it was another day at the office.

“We’ve got the work boots on and doing what we always do,” he said. “I think we’ll be fine as long as we’re doing what we’re doing.”

After a scoreless first period, Eansor teamed up with another high energy guy in Neuls to get Seattle on the board late in the second period. On the power play, he fed the puck to defenseman Turner Ottenbreit, who fired a slap shot that went wide of the Tri City net. The puck rebounded to Neuls, who had Americans goalie Evan Sarthou down and out.

“It just came right to me off the end boards and I had a wide open net,” Neuls said. “I’ve got to thank Eansor for his good wall play and Turner for his slap shot that missed the net.”

It was Neuls’ first game back after missing three straight with an injury, and he provided some much needed fresh legs to the lineup.

“He had a heck of a game,” Konowalchuk said of his rookie winger. “He’s just a good, smart hockey player, little guy, he competes. He’s hitting out there and took one to the chops and was right back out there.”

The marker was Neuls’ fourth goal of the year and the sixth straight time that the T-Birds scored first in a game.

With the way Seattle’s defense and goaltender were playing it looked like the one goal might be enough. Tri City would erase that notion early in the third period, however, when Lucas Nickles tore down the wing and ripped a wrist shot that Kozun could not get a piece of.

The T-Birds found a way to hit another gear after the tying goal, as midway through the third period Eansor would be key again. After cycling the puck in the corner with Lane Pederson, Eansor took it out in front and drew the Tri City defenders to him before flipping a pass to a wide open Nolan Volcan. Volcan buried the chance and Seattle had its one-goal lead back.

It looked like Seattle was going to steer home the win without any trouble, but Tri City would get a late surge. With Sarthou on the bench – and a missed too many men on the ice call by the officials – Tri City got the equalizer when Nickles found a way to squeeze the puck past Kozun. It was Nickles’ second goal of the game and 12th of the year, and it meant the game would go to overtime.

Niether team scored in the extra period, setting up the shootout where both Lane Pederson and Neuls converted for the T-Birds. Kozun stopped Brian Williams and Ty Comrie on the other end and the T-Birds had their sixth straight win.

“A lot of guys had to step up today,” Eansor said. “It was a big, big win for the team, and I think we showed a lot of character tonight.”

Seattle has managed to weather the storm for six straight games, but it isn’t a surprise for Konowalchuk.

“I guess as proud as I am and happy, that’s the way you’re supposed to play as hockey players,” he said. “We’re expecting it out of our guys, and if they want to be hockey players and if you want to be a winning team that’s what’s expected.”

The T-Birds still have some work to do, as they will play their sixth game in nine nights on Sunday evening when they return to Portland. They will still be short-handed and will have to equal the effort of the past week if they expect to win their seventh in a row.

“Definitely tired,” Eansor said. “But one more and we get a day off. I think if we can get this last win it would be huge and a day off would be huge.”

Notes

• The T-Birds’ roster issues are reminiscent of last January when they also were struck with injuries and players away at tournaments. They lost four road games in a row and were outscored 29-4. The fact that they are enduring this year speaks to the depth they have on their roster and the skill level of their younger players.

• With the team missing players up front, the T-Birds have been getting great play from their defense and goaltending. They’ve clamped down and haven’t allowed more than two goals in four straight games.

• Taran Kozun debuted his new mask, with Gorillas painted on it, on Dec. 27 against Portland. He won that night and has won his three starts since then, bringing the new mask’s record to 4-0.

• Sunday will be the last game Seattle will be as short-handed as it is now. Hickman will have served his final game of his suspension and Alexander True and Shea Theodore will return from the World Junior Championships in time for the next game, Jan. 9 at Tri City. It is unclear when Gropp will be available and Barzal is still listed as out for two weeks.

Follow Andrew Eide on Twitter @andyeide.

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