The Seattle Thunderbirds (9-8-1-1) held a 4-3 lead going into the third period and due to the veteran defensive corps they sport, you would think they would close out the visiting Prince Albert Raiders (9-7-3-0) and put an end to their three-game skid.
Instead, the Raiders scored a quick goal to start the third, another that caught the defense backing off and put the game away off an uncharacteristic turnover from one of their veteran blue liners.
Seattle Head Coach Matt O’Dette felt like the goal to start the final frame was one his team should not have given up. “That was big-you definitely do not want to give up a goal, just 16 seconds into the third. Defensive lapses were obviously a problem tonight and they were coming from veteran defensemen. It’s unacceptable.”
Prince Albert was led by two goals and an assist from Curtis Miske and two points each from Brett Leason and Jordy Stallard.
Seattle got three of their four goals from the defense, but if you ask overage blue liner Austin Strand (who had a goal himself), the offensive success may have played a role in the defensive lapses his coach was talking about. He and his fellow veteran defensemen got caught trying to do too much at times.
“It was a bad loss for us. Most nights we have a pretty good back end, but tonight we were pretty bad-myself included. We made a couple poor decisions and I think we need to just be better than that. Maybe we were a little selfish and over-handled the puck at times.”
Spencer Moe got things going for the Raiders as he finished off a two-on-one rush thanks to a feed from Brett Leason 5:11 into the contest.
The Thunderbirds answered back with a power play goal, from a guy who has made a living out scoring them this year. Austin Strand wired one past P.A. netminder Ian Scott for his 10th of the season and ninth on the man advantage.
When the Raiders took a delay-of-game penalty just a few seconds later, it looked like it was setting up for Seattle to seize the momentum. Instead former Tri-City Americans forward Brett Leason flew up the ice while shorthanded and buried a shot in the top corner for his third this year.
P.A. made it a two-goal game with eight minutes left in the first, when Cole Fonstad’s zone entry pass, deflected off a T-bird defender and right to Parker Kelly with no one in front of him. Kelly beat Berlin for the Raiders third goal on just their seventh shot.
Penalty trouble would plague the Raiders later in the opening frame though. After Justin Nachbaur and Sean Montgomery were given minor penalties two seconds apart, Seattle was looking at a lengthy five-on-three man advantage. Zack Andrusiak gathered the puck below the right faceoff dot and wired a shot over Scott’s glove for his eighth of the year.
Just 40 seconds into the second period, the Thundebrirds tied the game, while short-handed. A pass meant for Jordy Stallard in the neutral zone, handcuffed him and took a Seattle bounce the other direction. Turner Ottenbreit scooped up the puck and hammered a slap shot past Scott for his fourth of the season.
Jarret Tyszka was then the next Seattle blue liner getting on the scoreboard as he looped around the P.A. defense and surprised Scott with a shot along the nice, just inside the far post. That gave Seattle a 4-3 lead after 40 minutes.
Another former U.S. Division foe of the Thunderbirds tied the game for the Raiders 16 seconds into the third. Curtis Miske got to a bouncing puck near the Seattle net and batted a shot past Berlin’s left shoulder. It was Miske’s fifth goal this year.
Another uncharacteristic defensive lapse for the Thunderbirds would lead to Prince Albert’s fifth goal and the eventual game winner. Curtis Miske could not solve Berlin, but he smartly followed his own shot and gathered the puck at the right faceoff dot. He then slid a no-look pass right to Jordy Stallard at the back door. The Raiders leading scorer put it away for his 15th this year and the 5-4 Raiders lead.
Miske then put the game away with a nice read of a Strand pass at his own blue line. While down two skaters thanks to a Seattle power play and Berlin being pulled for another attacker. Miske had just missed on two chances at the vacant net earlier, but made no mistake this time, scoring his second of the period and finalizing the score at 6-4.
Scott and Berlin both struggled at times, but Scott was able to eke out the win, stopping 26of 30, while Berlin gave up five goals on 31 shots.
The Raiders are now 1-1 on their swing through the U.S. Division and next head to Everett for a tile with the Silvertips Wednesday.
Seattle will also head to Everett for a game on Friday.
Game Notes:
-Sami Moilanen joined goalie Carl Stankowski on the injury report. Jake Lee has returned from the U-17 tournament but did not get into the game. The same could be said for Prince Albert’s Rhett Rhinehart, who played for Canada White at the tournament.
-Donovan Neuls left the game a few minutes into the second period after complaining to the referees about his hand. He did come back about the midpoint in the third period.
