T-birds win in shootout over Giants

Rookie defenseman Thomas Hickey, the 20th shooter in a wild shootout, scored to lift the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 3-2 victory over the Vancouver Giants at KeyArena.

In the tiebreaker, Gilbert Brule, Cody Franson and J.D. Watt scored for Vancouver and Aaron Gagnon, Chris Durand and David Richard answered for Seattle.

In the last round, Seattle goaltender Kevin Opsahl stopped Vancouver center David Rutherford and Hickey scored against Vancouver goaltender Tyson Sexsmith.

"We were running out of forwards so I figured it was about time they would pick me," Hickey said. "As a defenseman, forwards have more experience with that stuff and I'd put them ahead of me, too. It was just a matter of circumstances."

Hickey couldn't even remember the move he used to beat Sexsmith and help the T-birds end a four-game losing streak. It was also the first win for Seattle over Vancouver in six tries.

Hickey, who has only one goal this season in 47 games, looked like a veteran in the shootout, collecting the puck in mid-ice and steaming in.

"I think I gave him a little head fake," Hickey said.

Seattle's overtime record improved to 11-1-4 and Vancouver dropped to 2-0-6. It was the sixth straight loss by Vancouver in a shootout.

Seattle tied the game at 18:56 of the third period on a goal by Tyler Johnson with Opsahl out of the net. The T-birds were also fortunate with their first goal when Bud Holloway banked a shot into the net off Vancouver defenseman Brett Festerling's skate.

Vancouver built a 2-0 lead after two periods.

Kyle Lamb faked a pass and went to his backhand to beat Opsahl and give the Giants a 1-0 lead 41 seconds into the first period. Cody Franson made it 2-0 with an unassisted goal on the power play on a shot from just inside the blue line at 8:56 of the first period.

The win ends a four-game losing streak for Seattle, 24-22-1-4, and dropped Vancouver to 34-14-0-6.

THUNDERBIRDS 3, GIANTS 2 (SO)

First — 1. Vancouver Lamb 22 (Watt) :41.; 2. Vancouver Franson 13 (unassisted) 8:56 (pp). Second — No scoring. Third — 3. Seattle Holloway 10 (Klinkhammer, Grossmann) 3:28. 4. Seattle Johnson 6 (Scott) 18:56. Overtime — No scoring. Penalties — None. Shootout — Vancouver — Repik (miss), Brule (goal), Bartley (miss), Lamb (miss), Machacek (miss), Albers (miss), Franson (goal), Reese (miss), Watt (goal), Rutherford (miss). Seattle — Johnson (miss), Holloway (miss), Gagnon (goal), Scurko (miss), Pess (miss), Scott (miss), Durand (goal), Klinkhammer (miss), Richard (goal), Hickey (goal). Shots on goal by: Vancouver 8-14-5-1 — 28; Seattle 8-9-9-2 — 28. Power plays (goals, chances) — Vancouver 1-3, Seattle 0-4. Goaltenders: Vancouver: Sexsmith (3-1). Seattle: Opsahl (16-17). A — 4,552.