T-birds get past Winter Hawks

PORTLAND — The Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Portland Winter Hawks 3-2 in overtime Saturday night in front of 8,818 at the Rose Garden for their fourth consecutive Western Hockey League victory, all on the road.

Bud Holloway scored the game-winning goal at 3:27 of overtime off an assist from Mitch Fadden. Fadden sent Holloway on a breakaway, and he beat Portland goalie Dustin Butler with a backhand shot.

It was the third consecutive overtime game for Seattle. Fadden scored the game-winner against the Spokane Chiefs in extra time on Wednesday, and Bretton Stamler scored the winning goal on Friday against Tri-City.

Seattle goalie Gavin McHale made his second start of the season and stopped 43 of 45 shots to improve his record to 1-1-0-0.

The Thunderbirds improved to 8-6-1-1 and moved into third place in the U.S. Division, two points behind the Winter Hawks for second place.

Aaron Gagnon and Ryan Gibbons scored in regulation for the Thunderbirds.

From team reports

THUNDERBIRDS 3, WINTER HAWKS 2 (OT)

Seattle	2	0	0	1	— 3
Portland	0	1	1	0	— 2

First — 1. Sea, Gagnon 1 (Barthal, Scurko) 14:16 (pp); 2. Sea, Gibbons 7 (Barthal, Stamler) 19:26 (pp). Second — 3. Port, Ansen 9 (Woolger, Funk) 10:37 (pp). Third — 4. Port, Dubinsky 10 (Hansen, Bailey) 3:41. Overtime — 5. Sea, Holloway 3 (Fadden) 3:27. Shots on goal by — Sea 18, Port 45. Goalies — Sea: McHale (W, 1-1-0); Port: Butler (L, 8-3-1). Power plays (goals-chances) — Sea: 2-4; Port: 1-8. A — 8,818.