Originally published Friday, April 11, 2008 at 12:00 AM
PrintWHL playoffs | For T-birds, it's win or head home
Penalties have pushed the Seattle Thunderbirds to the brink of elimination in the Western Hockey League playoffs. The T-birds trail the...
Special to the Seattle Times
Penalties have pushed the Seattle Thunderbirds to the brink of elimination in the Western Hockey League playoffs.
The T-birds trail the Tri-City Americans three games to one in the Western Conference semifinals, and two of the losses were the direct result of penalties.
The Americans have scored nine power-play goals on 19 tries and can close out the series with a win in Game 5 tonight at the Toyota Center in Kennewick. If the T-birds win tonight, Game 6 will be at KeyArena on Saturday.
"They've had a great power play all year and this series especially," Seattle goaltender Jake DeSerres said. "It's won them these last three games. We just need to battle a little harder, that's what penalty killing is all about."
The Americans, who had the best record in the WHL during the regular season and are 7-1 in the playoffs, have 13 power-play goals in the playoffs on 49 tries.
"They're a great team, but my team played great out there as well," DeSerres said after making 37 saves in Game 4. "We just need to stay focused and win the next game."
Besides being in the penalty box, injuries have also left the Thunderbirds shorthanded.
T-birds captain Thomas Hickey suffered a concussion in Game 1, a 7-1 Seattle win, and hasn't played since. Hickey did practice before Wednesday's game and was probable to play in tonight's game.
"We've tried to play through injuries, but we've been without our best guy," Sumner said. "We just have to win and gain some momentum and go from there. We're only looking at winning the next game."
The T-birds also played without Prab Rai for the second half of Game 4 after he left with an undisclosed injury. His status will be determined at game time.
Colton Yellow Horn has four power-play goals in the series for the Americans, including the winner in overtime Thursday. Ian McKenzie has eight goals and six assists to lead the T-birds.
| Playoff series | |
| Best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals between Seattle and Tri-City; Tri-City leads series 3-1. | |
| # | Result |
| 1 | Seattle 7, Tri-City 1 |
| 2 | Tri-City 4, Seattle 0 |
| 3 | Tri-City 3, Seattle 2 |
| 4 | Tri-City 3, Seattle 2 (OT) |
| # | Matchup |
| 5 | Tonight, at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m. |
| *6 | Saturday, at KeyArena, 7:05 p.m. |
| *7 | Tuesday, at Tri-City, 7:05 p.m. |
| *if necessary | |
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
Print
Digg
Newsvine
UPDATE - 9:41 PM
Vancouver Canucks get first back-to-back wins in a month | NHL
League-leading Vancouver Canucks win in Los Angeles | NHL
T-birds triumph on overtime goal by Gallimore
Winterhawks give thrashing to T-birds
CTE found in Probert's brain tissue
911 audio: Caseworker reports Josh Powell has locked children inside his home
911 audio: Caseworker reports Josh Powell's house on fire with children inside
911 audio: Sister of Josh Powell reports disturbing emails
Chuck Cox reacts to Powell home fire, death of his grandsons
Sheriff's update: Josh Powell spread gasoline in home fire, sent goodbye emails
Don Bateman, inventor of Ground Proximity Warning System
Pierce County sheriff reacts to Powell home fire
Price of Protection: A victim speaks out
Price of Protection: Inside the Special Commitment Center
Open Houses
|
Find all open houses.
|
nwautos
Turismo upgrade "Gran Turismo 5: XL Edition" for PlayStation 3 has features such as new car-tuning settings, new NASCAR vehicles, better replay video...
Post a comment
- Lakewood cop accused of embezzling $150K meant for slain officers' families
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Agency set to investigate handling of 911 call about Josh Powell
- Quick decisions: How Washington hired its new football staff
- Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looms
- Justin Wilcox's versatile defensive style is the right fit for Huskies | Jerry Brewer
- Social worker recounts minutes before Powell fire
- It's Terrence Time: Enigmatic Ross leads Huskies
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- Club promoter convicted in brutal 2010 murder of Des Moines prostitute
- Gay-marriage bill passes House, awaits Gregoire's signature
471 - Historic day for gay marriage as another fight looming 360
- Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color 300
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising 243
- Source: NY, California to sign mortgage settlement 231
- Oregon live game thread 155
- Council members get briefing on arena proposal, minus details 147
- Pac-12 picks ... including the UW game 140
- AP Source: Obama to change birth control rule 131
- Worker: Josh Powell told son he had 'surprise' 103
- State Medicaid program to stop paying for unneeded ER visits
- 3 big health insurers stockpile $2.4 billion as rates keep rising
- Wanted in Seattle classrooms: more teachers of color
- One man's audacious pursuit of sailing history
- Economy, blogs give survivalists new reason to look to Northwest
- Darren Berg gets 18-year sentence for Ponzi scheme
- State's share of mortgage settlement: $648 million
- $25B settlement reached over foreclosure abuses
- Bellevue College adds a third bachelor's degree program
- 'Gauguin and Polynesia': dazzling mix-and-match | Art review
