By james art 
February 16, 2025 – West Hockey League (Whl)
News News Message in Seattle Light Birds
Kent, Washington – Scott Ratzlaff came out with 40 saves, and Seattle Burds defeated Portland Winterox, 4-2, Saturday in the center of Showare Accedo. The victory was the third in a row, as Seattle was held in the eighth and last place for playoff in the western conference. It was the first of the three matches in three days for Thunderbirds. They travel to Wenatchee on Sunday to play Wenatchee Wild in Town Toyota Center. Monday afternoon they are in Portland for a rematch with Winterhawks.
“With boys outside the squad, another who descends during the game, we needed every person to activate, to contribute, and I decided it happened,” said the chief coach Matt O’Det of the second victory to his team over Portland in the last eight eight days. “The purpose of the power game early for us was huge and then the late penalty killings were just as important. We did it. He leaned but did not break.”
The teams traded goals to play in the first five minutes of the game. Seattle (21-28-2-1) struck first, only 53 seconds. Nathan Peeling won his team, hosted at the 24th of the season, aided by Radim Mrtka and the Dunn Koster. Portland tied it at 4:54.
Thunderbirds regained their lead with a continuous goal from Matej Pekar at 6:01 and made 3-1 when Colton Gerrior scored just over a minute later. Brandon Rudolf and Samko Samko won the assists. For Gerior, it was his first goal, as he scored twice on the night of the opening in September. “A good game of Rudolf and Charko to take my washer there. I felt good when I saw it coming in.”
Winterhawks closed within 3-2 with a goal right along the middle of the opening period. During the second period there was only one goal, and he came out of the bake stick at 14:46, assisted by Antonio Martoran. Now the baker has nine goals in his last nine games and says he feels confident in his shot. “Yes, a little,” said the wing of a rookie from the Czech Republic. “But I get smaller goals in front of the net. I try to continue this.”
T-Birds defended their lead in the third thanks to two penalties killings and 15 Ratzlaff savings, which has already won nine of their last 11 starts. “He was really good tonight,” O’Det from his network said. “Calm, cool, just doing big saves when we need them. Your goalkeeper is your best penalty killer and he was certainly tonight.”
T-Patics Extras
T-Birds Braeden Cootes’s leading goalkeeper missed the game with a lower body injury. Meanwhile, T-Birds lost a third leading goalkeeper Koster Dunn in the second period after blocking a shot.
Seattle was only rewarded with one goal goal in the game and he came in the first minute. Portland received the last five game of play, but after scoring its first, T-Birds killed their last four.
T-Birds are now running the series series over Portland, 3-2 with five games left between now and March 22.
• Discuss this story on the Western Hockey League Message Board …
The opinions expressed in this edition are those of the organization that publishes it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of our Central or its employees.