Seattle 4 @Everett 3
If the Seattle Thunderbirds (5-4-0-1)are to make it back to the WHL playoffs, they will need nights from unsung players like the one they got Sunday afternoon from Dillon Hamaliuk. The 17-year-old from Leduc. Alberta netted two goals, leading the T-birds to a 4-3 win over their neighbors to the north, the Everett Silvertips (4-9-1-0).
The ‘Tips, who dropped their fourth straight contest, had an incredible night from their power play. They were successful on three of six opportunities, accounting for all of their goals.
Despite that success, Hamaliuk and the road Thunderbirds came back from a 2-1 deficit in the second period to sink Everett.
Noah Philip also added a goal and an assist and Matt Berlin turned away 31 of 34 in the win.
Hamlaiuk opened the scoring with his second career goal, just 45 seconds in. He took advantage of a turnover to drive the right wing backhand a low shot on Everett goalie Blake Lyda. The netminder got his stick down, but Hamaliuk got a free whack at the loose rebound for the goal.
Everett responded with two power play goals in the middle frame. Connor Dewar was credited with both of them. First, he threw a wrist shot on from the point that somehow found its way past Berlin. Then, he received a pass right next to the Seattle net and centered a pass that banked off T-birds d-man Jake Lee and in.
Hamaliuk tied things up just 20 seconds later. He drove down the same side that led to his first goal and wired a shot towards Lyda. The puck deflected off of Everett blue liner Wyatte Wylie’s stick and in.
Philp tied things up again at 2-1, just 1:07 into the third period. Zack Andrusiak was the catalyst as he stayed with the rebound of one of his own shots and drew the defense before finding Philp alone in front.
Austin Strand then gave Seattle a two-goal lead at 4-2, 1:34 later in the game. While on the man advantage, Strand fired a low blast from the point that fooled a screened Lyda. This was the overage blue liners fifth power play goal this year.
That would prove to be the difference as Bryce Kindopp added a power play goal with 7:48 left.
Turner Ottenbreit had an eventful return to the lineup after sitting out a six-game suspension. He was given a 10-minute misconduct 11:03 into the second. Everett’s Montana Onyebuchi and Seattle’s Matthew Wedman were given the same type of infraction in the game as well.
Seattle now continues on their big road trip this year. They get the Canadian part started Friday in Cranbrook, B.C. Everett looks to snap their skid Friday with a trip to Kamloops. There they will take on the only Western Conference currently team with a worse record than them.
