Seattle Thunderbirds came back from a three-goal deficit Wednesday night, scoring four unanswered goals and tying up the playoff series against the Vancouver Giants, 2-2.
The T-Birds’ Matthew Wedman scored at 15:46 of the third period to secure a 4-3 Game 4 victory over the Lower Mainland team tonight in Kent, Wash.
Thunderbirds win Game 4. 4-3 the final score. T-Birds erase a three-goal deficit. Giants get goals from Dylan Plouffe, Brayden Watts and Davis Koch.
Game 5 set for Friday night at 7:30 PM at the LEC.
GET TICKETS 🎟ï¸: https://t.co/QigpMz0oYK
— xy – Vancouver Giants (@WHLGiants) March 28, 2019
It all started relatively early in the first period, when Vancouver went in front 1-0 at 10:33 with a goal from Dylan Plouffe.
Then, the G-Men took a 2-0 lead with three minutes left in the first on a goal from Brayden Watts.
Vancouver made it a 3-0 lead at 2:19 of the second period, this time on a goal from Davis Koch.
Then, Seattle started the comeback at 5:18 of the second on the power play, that would spell the start of the end for the Giants Wednesday night.
Nolan Volcan carried the puck up the right wing the rush. Volcan took a shot from the right circle that was blocked and went behind the net. Keltie Jeri-Leon got the loose puck and skated out into the left circle and then the slot. Jeri-Leon beat Vancouver goalie David Tendeck with a wrist shot over the blocker.
Noah Philp pulled the T-Birds to within one goal at 7:11 of the second period. Philp entered the offensive zone on the left wing and centered to Andrej Kukuca. Kukuca sent the puck right back to Philp in the left circle. Philp beat Tendeck with a wrist shot for his first goal of the playoffs.
Kukuca tied the game 3-3 at 11:13 of the third on the power play. Philp had the puck on the right wing with Wedman in front of Tendeck. Philp passed the puck to Wedman who tipped the puck on goal. The rebound came to Kukuca in the left circle and he beat Tendeck with a quick slap shot.
Finally, Wedman scored the game-winning goal late in the third.
Henrik Rybinski stole the puck on a backcheck in the right circle. Rybinski went behind the Vancouver net and centered the puck to Wedman on top of the crease. Wedman beat Tendeck low on the blocker side.
The first-round playoff series between the T-Birds and Giants now continues, this time with Game 5 on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Langley Events Centre.
That’s followed by Game 6 on Saturday at 6:05 p.m., State-side again at the accesso ShoWare Center.
LAST NIGHT’S GAME: Giants slip past T-Birds in Game 3 of playoffs
GAME BY GAME: Vancouver vs. Seattle
Game 1 At Vancouver 7, Seattle 1
Game 2 Seattle 4, at Vancouver 1
Game 3 Vancouver 6, at Seattle 4
Game 4 At Seattle 4, Vancouver 3
Game 5 Seattle @ Vancouver Friday, March 29, 7:30 p.m.
Game 6 Vancouver @ Seattle Saturday, March 30, 6:05 p.m.
Game 7 Seattle @ Vancouver Tuesday, April 2, 7 p.m.*
*if necessary
Visit the VancouverGiants website for tickets to Friday’s game.
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SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Vancouver, Plouffe 3 (Koch, Svejkovsky), 10:33. 2,Vancouver, Watts 2 (Dmytriw, Bafaro), 17:00. Penalties – Richards, Sea (major-checking from behind, game misconduct), 4:16. Plouffe, Van (roughing), 15:45. Kubicek, Sea (interference), 15:45.
Second period – 3, Vancouver, Koch 1 (Nielsen, Kannok Leipert), 2:19. 4, Seattle, Jeri-Leon 1 (Volcan), 5:18 (pp). Penalties – Roman, Van (hooking), 3:30. Philp, Sea (delay of game), 7:01. Hardy, Van (checking to the head), 11:58.
Third period – 5, Seattle, Philp 1 (Kukuca, Tyszka), 7:11. 6, Seattle, Kukuca 3 (Wedman, Philp), 11:13 (pp). 7, Seattle, Wedman 2 (Rybinski), 15:46. Penalties – Byram, Van (tripping), 5:04. Kannok Leipert, Van (cross checking), 10:54.
Shots on goal – Seattle 9-13-12 34, Vancouver 12-11-6 29. Goalies – Seattle, Ross 29 shots-26 saves (2-2); Vancouver, Tendeck 34-30 (1-1). Power plays – Seattle 2-4; Vancouver 0-2. A – 2,270. Referees – Jeff Ingram, Mark Pearce. Linesmen – Ron Dietterle, Mark Heier.
Seattle goalie Roddy Ross had 26 saves. Tendeck had 30 saves.
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