Feb-Win-uary

We may be a week past Valentine's Day, but the Thunderbirds are still in love with winning this month.  Seven up, seven down.  The latest victims? The Tri-City Americans, Spokane Chiefs and the Portland Winterhawks as Seattle takes both games this weekend to go with their win Tuesday.

We talked about the Friday game against Spokane as being a potential "trap" game, with the showdown in Portland looming the following night.  It would have been easy for the T-birds to overlook a Spokane team they have dominated, especially in the second half of the season.  There may have been a little bit of that, but they did what they needed in order to win that game.  It wasn't their most complete effort but, they took care of business.  

They beat Spokane without a single point from their top four scorers. It was another example of the team's depth rising up as players like Ludwig, Myatovic, Mynio and Okonkwo Prada stepped forward. It also doesn't hurt when your number two goalie plays like a number one.  

Seattle's first six wins this month were against the bottom five teams in the Western Conference.  All have losing records. Combined those five teams have a 78-138-13-3 record.  The T-birds should win those games and they did, just like the other Western Conference teams near the top of the standings are doing.  

But the T-birds hadn't beaten a team with a winning record in over a month. Of course, they rarely played a team with a winning record in that span.  Still, they were just 1-2-1-1 since January 14th.  Sure, there were mitigating circumstances. Seattle played a number of those games with a less than full roster but Saturday's game down in Portland was a bit of a litmus test for the T-birds.   They passed the test with flying colors.

Your first inclination might be to say, of course they did. They were finally whole and complete.  this is what this team is capable of when they have their full complement of players available. Except that wasn't the case, was it?  No Ty Bauer, no Sam Knazko and, for most of the game, no Matt Rempe.  Three NHL drafted players unavailable. Oh, and you take a couple of early penalties and one of your best penalty killers, Nico Myatovic, is out of the lineup with an injury.  

No, Saturday the T-birds best weapon wasn't their nearly full roster, it was their singular focus.  After the game, head coach Matt O'Dette said as much. "Part of our keys (to the game) was composure. Whatever odd things can happen during a game here, we were going to keep our composure. Every guy was focused on their next shift."

That focus was evident on the early five-minute penalty kill.  Seattle limited Portland to just a few shots on goal.  Yes, they did get that late goal as the penalty was nearly over, but had they lost their composure there, it could have been much worse and led to a bigger hole to dig out from. They limited the damage and did the same on the second Portland power play a minute later.  And when the T-birds were shorthanded again early in the second period, and the Winterhawks had another chance to add to their lead, the T-birds penalty killers did it again. 

Every opportunity Portland had to take over that game, was thwarted by the T-birds laser-like focus. And once Seattle scored to tie the game, it was they who took the game over.  

I was disappointed for Thomas Milic when he didn't get drafted last summer by an NHL team.  But there is a little part of me now, that is just a bit glad that didn't happen.  I think Milic is playing this season with a bit of a chip on his shoulder for that slight. I think it helps him focus.  He's motivated to prove to 32 NHL teams that they were wrong to pass him up.  He outdueled his counterpart, Portland's Taylor Gauthier, another goalie I can't figure out why he wasn't drafted.  Two of the WHL's best netminders going head-to-head and Milic won this round.

You lose a Myatovic to injury and you plug in a Ludwig.  That was what happened this weekend for the T-birds.  Gabe Ludwig missed the first five games of February while in Covid Protocol.  In his first two games back, two big assists.  

Seattle will still trail Portland in the standings when the weekend is over. They'll either be two or four points back of the Winterhawks depending on the results of Portland's Sunday game against Spokane. Either way, when Monday arrives, Seattle will have four games in hand and control their own destiny in the battle for second place in the U.S. Division.

Seattle is soon to get a key piece back in their lineup when defenseman Sam Knazko returns from capturing a bronze medal at the Winter Olympics in Beijing. In his absence three players, Chase Lacombe, Sawyer Mynio and Leon Okonkwo Prada stepped up big time, eating up quality minutes and contributing at the offensive end as well.  As a result, the T-birds D-group is leaps better than they were when Knazko departed back in late January.

My T-birds Three Stars for the Week:

Third Star: C/W Sam Popowich.  He's generously listed at 5'9" but he is a prime example that size in this game doesn't matter, if you don't let it define you.  He plays the game the right way.  With Rempe out of the game following the early major penalty Saturday in Portland, Popowich was elevated to the top power play unit, and he delivered a big, primary assist on the game winning power play goal.  He's a terrific penalty killer as well and scored the game winning goal against Tri-City Tuesday, shorthanded.  

Second Star: D Leon Okonkwo Prada.  He has taken advantage of the absence of Ty Bauer and Sam Knazko. Getting more minutes, his game is improving day-to-day as he adjusts to the North American game. I think he enjoys the physical aspect of the game over here.  He was exceptional on the penalty kill Saturday in Portland.  For the week he had three assists and finished the three games with a +5 rating.

First Star: D Kevin Korchinski.  It only seems like he's on the ice for sixty minutes each game, because when he's out there, you notice him for all the right reasons.  He rarely makes the wrong decision with the puck.  He controls the game.  His skating is a combination of Mat Barzal and Shea Theodore.  His hockey IQ is off the charts.  Four assists and plus four on the week. He is now first among WHL rookie defensemen in scoring with 42-points.  

Seven Scores and Four Games Ago

Twenty-seven goals. That's how many times the T-birds have put the puck in the back of the net the last four games. That's almost, but not quite, seven goals a game.  Once again, the offensive onslaught coincides with the team being almost completely healthy and available.  It gives them the ability to roll four lines. It gives them scoring depth. It gives them a very deep arsenal.

Eight T-birds averaged at least a point per game over those four wins. This is no one line team.  The funny thing though is, the average of nearly seven goals a game with their mostly complete roster the last four games, isn't much higher than what they did in the previous four games when they could only ice 16 skaters each game.  Yeah, in those four games they could muster only 22 goals or just over five goals per game. The biggest difference these last four games with the 18 skaters available, was more energy from start to finish in each game. They got leads and they built on them.

After each game I check in with head coach Matt O'Dette to get his assessment of his team's performance that night.  The overriding theme from our conversations is that they are playing well, but they're not there yet.  Where is "there"? That would be as close to a perfect sixty minutes of hockey as you can get. He knows his team has not hit their peak.  He knows there are areas they can clean up or improve on, even when they are winning 7-2.  He is not asking for perfection.  No team ever plays the ideal, perfect game.  He's asking that they play every game, every period and every shift without cutting corners or falling off their good habits. He's asking them to aim for perfection.

The Thunderbirds were just 3 of 15 on the power play in their two games up in Victoria this weekend. That's still 20 percent success with the man advantage. I say just 20 percent because they were humming along at a nearly 40 percent clip on the power play since December 30th. That rate wasn't sustainable. They were going to drop off a bit.  But it wasn't like they fumbled away power play opportunities.  The Royals, despite their bottom of the conference spot in the playoff chase, still have a top ten penalty killing unit. Give some credit to them. The T-birds power play was, and is, just fine.

Lucas Ciona is becoming a power play specialist. In his last ten games he has nine goals and five of them are of the power play variety.  How is he doing it?  He's keeping it simple by putting his physical frame in front of the opposing goal and banging home rebound or deflecting point shots.

In the 14 games he's played since Christmas, Kevin Korchinski has 14 assists.  In the 11 games he's played since Christmas, Jeremy Hanzel has 11 assists.  Korchinski is rightfully getting plenty of top of the draft buzz for the 2022 NHL Draft.  I think the draft buzz is going to start picking up again for Hanzel too. Either way, Seattle has a great duo on the blue line with these two.

My T-birds Three Stars for the Weekend:

Third Star: W Conner Roulette. The 2021 Dallas Stars draft pick finished the weekend with five points (1g,4a) and a +5 rating.  It seems it's a different hero stepping up for the T-birds each game and Saturday in Victoria it was his turn. He ended the game with four points, but I'm not sure he didn't get shorted an assist.  He's gone about his business this season in an almost quiet fashion, racking up 47 points (16g, 31a) and is +23. 

Second Star: C Henrik Rybinski.  Like Roulette, Rybinski now has 47 points on the season after earning six points on the weekend with three goals and three assists.  Saturday, when Victoria crept within two goals in the third period, it was Rybinski who burst their comeback bubble with a pair of goals.  The only question still unanswered is which NHL team is going to sign the free agent to an entry level deal.

First Star: W Lukas Svejkovsky. Three goals, two assist and +4 in two games on Vancouver Island. In ten games now for Seattle he has 17 points (6g, 11a) and is +12.  He has such a wicked shot, especially off the rush.  All of his goals have come over the last four games, which seems to coincide with him being completely over his battle with Covid.  In those four games he has six goals and five assists. This is why Seattle was willing to pay such a steep price to get him in a trade from Medicine Hat in late December.  

 

Home Cookin'

The Thunderbirds have played seven home games thus far in 2022 and they have earned points in all of them, posting a 5-0-1-1 record.  There is an argument to be made that they should be 7-0-0-0 in those games.  They poured 51 shots on goal in a 4-3 overtime loss to Portland back on January 14th. Hey, sometimes you run into a hot goalie.  Then on January 29th they built leads of 3-0, 4-3 and 5-4 against the Winterhawks only to lose, 6-5 in a shootout in yet another game where they rifled over 40 shots on goal (44).

Over those seven home games, the T-birds have scored 42 goals, or an average of six goals per game.  Seattle has allowed 16 goals in that stretch, albeit five of those goals against came in one game. Still, that means they are surrendering, on average, just slightly over two goal a game (2.28). So, if you come see the T-birds play at home in 2022, you're more than likely to see them win 6-2.

On the season, the T-birds have scored 85 goals in 20 home games. That's 4.25 per home game and trending upwards. Prior to this last seven game stretch on home ice, Seattle had played 13 games at the accesso ShoWare Center and scored 43 times for an average of 3.3. So again, first 13 games at home 3.3 goals per game, next seven home games 6.0 goals per game, season home average 4.25.

How do we account for the bump in home goals? It would be simple to say it's the addition of Lukas Svejkovsky to the lineup and all the players being available and off the Covid list or even, well, the T-birds are playing lots of home games against subpar opposition.  Those are factors but not the whole story.  In his eight games as a Thunderbird, Svejkovsky has played five of them at the accesso ShoWare Center.  In those five home games he has nine points (3g, 6a) but his three goals all came in the two games this past weekend. His first three home games he had just three assists.  

This past weekend Seattle did get four players off the Covid list and that certainly gave them a nearly complete roster to utilize in their two wins in which they scored 14 times.  But the two home games prior to that, Seattle played with a short roster, dressing just 16 skaters, were absent three of their top six defensemen and scored 12 goals in those two games.  

So, it must be the schedule and the T-birds are racking up big goal totals against inferior competition.  Sure, four of the T-birds five wins are against teams with losing records in Spokane (twice) Prince George and Vancouver accounting for 29 of those 42 goals.  But in three games against Portland (x2) and Everett the T-birds still managed to score 13 goals and were 1-0-1-1.  Remember, they played one of those games against Portland with just 16 skaters and still managed to pot five goals.  

So, in the four games against the three teams with below .500 records they averaged 7.25 goals per game.  In the three games against two teams with two of the best winning percentages in the WHL, Seattle averaged 4.3 goals per game, while not playing at full strength.

What I see as the biggest reasons for the increase in goals at home is not in any statistics you can point to on a scoresheet.  Nope, It's confidence. It's chemistry. It's maturity.  Young second year players like Jordan Gustafson and Reid Schaefer are realizing their potential. In his 23-game rookie campaign last spring, Schaefer scored ZERO goals in the 18-games he played in.  This season he has 19 goals in 39-games.

Meanwhile a third-year player such as Lucas Ciona is understanding and realizing his role and how he can be most effective.  As a result, he has eight goals in his last eight games. Four of those have come on the power play.  All eight have probably been scored from within a 10-foot radius of the net, as he learns to use his physicality. 

The T-birds have also found chemistry in their forward lines.  They can roll four lines nightly when healthy.  They have a Top line of Schaefer-Rybinski and Davidson. Combined that trio has 127 points (54g, 72a).  Their second line is the Speed line; Roulette-Gustafson-Svejkovsky.  That threesome has a combined 124-points (48g, 76a). 

Their third line is their Brute line consisting of Ciona-Rempe-Sanders. Together they have 58-points (33g, 25a).  The fourth line is their Grit line, featuring a little bit of everything with Oremba/Ludwig/Popowich/Myatovic (13g, 24a, 37 points).   

When they have their entire D-corps healthy and available, the Thunderbirds top six would be Bauer, Gottfried, Knazko, Korchinski and Lacombe and a rotation of Mynio and Okonkwo Prada.  The reality is, Seattle has not had that top six together for any game this season.  The closest they came was December 10th in Kamloops.  At the time they still had Eric Van Impe. They hadn't yet made the deal to send him to Swift Current for Lacombe because they hadn't made the trade for Svejkovsky yet.

The Thunderbirds won that game, 6-1, but that was also the game Bauer suffered his long-term, lower body injury. Under their current roster iteration, the closest they've come to having their top six d-men available was a three-game stretch between Jan 15th and January 22nd. that's it.  Otherwise, it has been a bit of a patchwork back end, sometimes dressing just five defensemen, often with a younger player called up such as Ethan Mittlesteadt or Niko Tskaumis. Most often they've only had three of their top six defenseman available.  

They will get Knazko back after the Olympics.  They hope Bauer can make it back late in the regular season or at some point in the playoffs, but that is no guarantee. I think Seattle looked at acquiring another defenseman at the trade deadline but the asking prices this year were through the roof. They didn't overspend for a short-term rental.  they looked at their group and said, you know what? They are more than good enough to carry the load. 

Coaches are never going to be 100-percent satisfied, especially at the development level. Nor should they be when they are looking to teach these wanna-be pros how to be professionals.  T-birds head coach Matt O'Dette wasn't satisfied with how his players reacted to having big, comfortable leads on the weekend. 

They went off script and got away from their structure.  "The way we got our lead, the way we got our goals, was by playing the right way and playing with good habits. When we stopped doing that, the other team took it to us," he said. "You can't do that. We're trying to engrain our habits so they're there every single night, every single shift. Bottom line we're looking for sixty minutes. The past two nights there have been lots of good habits, but definitely room for improvement."  Teachable moments.  

My T-birds Three Stars for the Two Game Weekend (T-birds 2-0, Covid 1-0):

Third Star: W Lucas Ciona.  There always seems to be a point in a players WHL career when everything comes together and perfectly aligns.  That moment seems now for Ciona, the 2021 sixth round pick of the NHL's Calgary Flames is, well, flaming hot.  He's playing physical hockey, his best attribute, without going over the line.  He has learned to use his net front presence, especially on the power play. He had three goals on the weekend and now has eight in his last eight games.

Second Star: C Henrik Rybinski.  As always, he's the catalyst for this team.  His non-stop motor sets the tone for the rest of the team.  After picking up an assist in each game, he's riding a six-game point streak (5g, 7a). He's also tops among Seattle's forward group with a +26 rating.  He's a big reason why the T-birds are third in the league on the penalty kill and one of only half a dozen WHL teams who have both special teams in the top ten.

First Star: W Lukas Svejkovsky.  After a tough battle to get back to 100-perecnt following a bout with Covid, the Pittsburgh Penguins 2020 fourth round pick says he feels normal again.  This weekend he gave us a glimpse of what his normal is as he finished with six points (3g, 3a) and was +5.  He showed us his hockey toolbox with speed, quickness, good hands and a deft scoring touch. With 12 points in eight games as a T-birds, maybe we should change the name of his hometown to Point-a-Game-Roberts, Washington.

Undermanned, Overperformed

 The Thunderbirds certainly aren't the only team in the WHL dealing with Covid issues.  They are one of the few teams, maybe the only team though, that has not had to completely shut down their hockey activity.  They didn't have two games postponed earlier this month because they didn't have enough players to ice a team.  No, it was primarily a weather issue, as heavy snow closed all mountain passes connecting Western Washington and Eastern Washington keeping them from their scheduled game in Kennewick January 7th. 

It was those same closed passes, and a shutdown of Spokane's hockey activities, that postponed the T-birds home game versus the Chiefs on January 8th. Other team have had games postponed because of Covid ripping through their rosters.  Seattle has had multiple players out in Covid Protocol, but they have played on. They played a game with just 15 skaters. they played a game with just 17 skaters and this past week they played four straight games with only 16 skaters available.  

And think of the players Seattle has had to play without.  Three defensemen sidelined who eat up big minutes: Tyrel Bauer, Jeremy Hanzel and Sawyer Mynio.  And then this weekend they played three games in three nights with those players still out and another top six defenseman, Sam Knazko left to go prepare for the Winter Olympics. 

They dressed just 11 forwards these last four games as Matt Rempe and Sam Oremba were sidelined too. And yet, they didn't bat an eye.  Instead, they pressed on through a difficult circumstance.  Where they could have wilted, they went 2-1-0-1. When the third period rolled around in Everett Sunday and the T-bird were trailing, they could have sagged back, exhausted playing their fourth game in seven nights with that short bench. Instead, they surged. They put 17 shots on net and went on the attack, using every drop of fuel left in the tank. 

They came up short, but it doesn't even seem possible they could do what they did under those circumstances. They nearly pulled off the impossible. They stared adversity down and didn't blink.

We've only truly seen the T-birds with a full roster a couple of times since Christmas.  Well, actually no, we haven't. Bauer is out long term and has been sidelined since December 10th.  So, let's say the closest they've been to 100-percent the second half was the weekend of January 14-15.  And what did we see?  two absolutely dominant performances against Portland and Everett.  They outshot those two teams 96-41.  If not for a stand-on-his-head performance by Portland's goalie, Seattle would have swept those two games.  Instead, they settled for a win and an overtime loss.  

But even this past week, playing understaffed in those four games, they outshot their opponents 148-111 and outscored them 22-11.  You don't do what Seattle did this past week without having players with talent, character, grit and, most importantly, heart.

Knock on wood, here's hoping we get to see this team as close to full strength the rest of the way. If I was an outsider looking in, the one team out West that would scare me come playoff time is a healthy, complete Seattle Thunderbirds.

My T-birds three stars for the week:

Third Star: C Henrik Rybinski.  Seattle's first line center has been on a role in the month of January, but especially this past week. In the four games he piled up nine points (5g, 4a) and finished with a +6 rating.  It is his energy and effort that sets the tone.

Second Star: D Kevin Korchinski.  There have been a number of ratings services that have put out their midterm rankings for the upcoming 2022 NHL Entry Draft.  I haven't seen one yet that doesn't have Korchinski in the top 30. With so many of his rear-guard teammates out of the lineup he's been playing big minutes for the T-birds.  He's definitely making the most of it. In the four games he compiled six assists. He is now eighth among WHL defenseman in scoring with 35 points (4g, 31a).

First Star: C/W Jared Davidson.  Coming into the season Davidson had earned 39 points over three seasons.  In just over half a season this year, he has 48 points, which is 15th best in the league. He leads the team in both points and goals scored (20). In the four games last week he scored five goals and added four assists and finished with a +9 rating.  

That's T-birds Hockey

"That's T-birds style hockey. Hard-working, physical, making plays." That's how Thunderbirds Head Coach Matt O'Dette described his team's effort this weekend as they earned three of a possible four points. In doing so they controlled most of the play both nights and ended up outshooting their two opponents on the weekend, 96-41. And not just any two opponents, but two of the top teams in the league in Portland and Everett.

If not for the exceptional play in goal by Portland netminder Taylor Gauthier Friday, Seattle would have won both games. Instead, they had to settle for a win and an overtime loss. That happens sometimes.  You can't always control the final result, but you can control your effort and the T-birds effort both nights was relentless.  It was T-birds style hockey.

What made it more impressive was they did it coming off a two-week layoff. A number of players were returning to action after battling Covid. Practice time had been limited. Yet there seemed to be very little rust. Maybe it was a lot of pent-up energy being released. We'll have to see as they go forward, but that's the way this team has to play every game. That's their brand.

Goalie Scott Ratzlaff is still just 16 years old. He won't turn 17 until early March. Yet here is, nine starts into his young WHL career and he has yet to lose a game in regulation, 8-0-1-0. The overtime loss Friday to the Winterhawks was the first time he had not won a game in regulation.  And I'm sure he'd agree a couple of those goals he allowed to Portland should have been stopped.  Yet he shrugged that one off, put it behind him and was on his game again Saturday in the 5-1 win over Everett.  

Did he face a lot of rubber in either game?  No.  But I think when the play is at the other end of the ice most of the night, that makes it harder on a goalie to stay sharp.  His biggest save of the weekend came early in the second period against Everett. With the T-birds up 1-0, he cold-stoned stopped Jackson Berezowski, who was all alone at the top of the crease. It prevented the Silvertips from tying the game and possibly changing the momentum.  With Thomas Milic unavailable for either contest, Seattle needed Ratzlaff to be good and he delivered. 

Since coming back from the holiday break Jared Davidson is averaging 2.5 points a game.  He's picked up ten points (4g, 6a) in the four games played.  He now leads the team in scoring with 37-points (14g, 23a) in 33-games. All this from an undrafted camp invite. Over his last 56-games he had 56-points.  I think General Manager Bil LaForge and his team of scouts know what they're doing. 

Last week NHL Central Scouting released its midterm rankings for North American skaters eligible for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. T-birds d-man Kevin Korchinski  came in at #20 on the list and center Jordan Gustafson was at #43. No surprise for two players selected by Seattle in the top ten of the 2019 WHL Prospects Draft.  Also on the list, at #85, was Reid Schaefer.  

Schaefer, selected by the T-birds in the eighth round of the 2018 WHL Prospects Draft (#164 overall) is a late birthday and wasn't eligible for last summer's draft.  He's making the most of that extra year to impress the scouts. In his first game back from Covid Saturday versus Everett he had a four-point night (2g, 2a).  He is tied for the team lead in goals scored with 14. His effort didn't go unnoticed by O'Dette. "He pieced together a really nice game. First game back after being on the shelf. that's pretty impressive."

O'Dette says Schaefer is a legitimate NHL prospect. "Yeah, he's a big guy that's capable of playing very physical and, obviously, the skills to match it. He's got good hands, a good shot. He's starting to put it all together and it's fun to see."

A similar player is Seattle's 2020 top draft pick, Sam Oremba, who just turned 17 last week.  O'Dette believes in his talent too. "Guys can get lost sometimes in the shuffle, but Sam, he's had some really good games for us this year. We're working with him on his consistency, and I think this weekend is a really nice confidence booster for him.  We needed all the guys, and him, to step up. He had a really nice weekend, played hard and it's good to see him get rewarded for it." Don't be surprised to see Oremba's name listed high on a lot of rankings for the 2023 NHL Draft.

In their last two home games versus Everett, the T-birds are 2-0, have outscored the Silvertips 10-3 and have put 89-shots on goal. In fact, in three home games against the 'Tips this season, Seattle is 2-0-1-0 and have scored 14-times on 119-shots.  That's 4.6 goals a game and almost 40 shots per contest (39.7).  They need to find a way to bottle that and take it on the road to Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett where they are 0-4-0-0. In those four road losses, Seattle has scored just five goals.  

The T-birds still are not at full strength. So, as impressive as they were this weekend, you have to believe they have another gear we haven't seen yet.  Knock on wood they get some of those missing players back soon.  

The WHL trade deadline is Monday afternoon.  Will the T-birds stand pat, or is there another move to be made? Stay Tuned!

My T-birds Three Stars for the Weekend:

Third Star: LW Reid Schaefer.  He missed Friday's overtime loss to Portland.  Seattle could have used him.  Going into the weekend he was the T-birds leading scorer against the Winterhawks this season (3g, 3a).  He made the most of his return to the lineup Saturday with his four-point night.  The only question is, did he or did he not get a hat trick?  There is some controversy on whether Seattle's game winning goal was his or Henrik Rybinski's.

Second Star: D Kevin Korchinski.  A three-assist weekend. he now has 24 assists on the season, which leads the team. With just 56-games under his belt, he still hasn't played a full season of WHL hockey, but he plays with the confidence of a seasoned vet.   Not only ranked at #20 among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, but TSN's Craig Button has him as the 26th best player for the 2022 NHL Draft.  

First Star C/W Jared Davidson.  A four-point weekend (2g, 2a). His 37-points leads the team, and he is tied with Schaefer for the goal scoring lead on the club with fourteen.  His trajectory over his T-birds career reminds me of how Zach Andrusiak and Keltie Jeri-Leon improved over their time in Kent, only I think Davidson is a more complete 200-foot player.  Far and away the team leader in shots on goal. Remember, you can't score if you don't shoot. Be like Davy...shoot!  

Fresh as the Winter's Snow

I think the final week of hockey in the calendar year 2021, pretty much summed up the entire year.  We had some hockey and we were glad for that. It was affected by Covid and there's nothing you can do about that. You win some, you lose some (hopefully doing more winning than losing), and you're just glad for the opportunity to be playing because you don't know what tomorrow brings or what's around the corner,and then Betty White dies and you start to question the meaning of life!

The Thunderbirds went 1-2 in their first three games post-Christmas.  It really was a mixed bag.  The final score in Tuesday's 6-3 home loss to Spokane really doesn't tell the whole story. The T-birds were behind the eight ball before the puck even dropped. Injuries, Covid, travel, and an international tournament meant the team could only dress 15 healthy skaters.  For much of the third period they were down to just 13.

Still, it was a winnable game.  Certainly Spokane took advantage of the undermanned T-birds, but you could also make the argument Seattle let them. The biggest culprit wasn't necessarily the T-birds undisciplined play that led to the Chiefs going 3-for-7 on the power play.  Just as significant an issue was Seattle passing up scoring opportunities by overpassing the puck.  It was particulary acute when Seattle scored the early first period goal and had a chance to pad their lead but got too cute with the puck. Instead they let the Chiefs hang around.

The good news? This Seattle team learned the lessons from Tuesday's loss and applied them to Thursday's 6-2 win in Spokane.  Pucks on net and traffic in front were the theme.  After going 0-for-5 on the power play Tuesday, the T-birds shoot first mentality led them to a 4-for-7 night with the man advantage Thursday.  

Give the Seattle coach's credit for making some subtle changes to the lineup for the Thursday rematch with the Chiefs.  Obviously getting a few more bodies into the lineup helped.  But Matt O'Dette and his crew moved Jared Davidson off the first line and put him on the second line.  He responded with a four point night with a goal and three assists.  Moving him off the first line didn't hurt that line's production though as the Reid Schaefer-Henrik Rybinski-Sam Popowich combo compiled three points with a goal and a pair of assists.

The other change was on the power play.  Most significantly they parked the 6'8" frame of Matt Rempe in front of the net and he was able to deflect a couple shots into the back of the net. But as Rempe said after the game, the biggest change was going from quality of shots to quantity of shots and being more of a shooting power play.

Will the power play stay that way?  especially when Jordan Gustafson, Conner Roulette and Lukas Svejkovsky return to the lineup? I don't know yet.  The T-birds weren't awarded any power plays in the game the next night down in Portland. The refs had put their whistles in their pockets the first half of that game.  And that's fine.  Let them play.  But then, that's where they should have left those whistles, because the calls they did make over the second half of the game were head scratching, one-sided and in most instances, flat out wrong.  

How Portland wasn't assessed a penalty for steamrolling over Thomas Milic is maybe the greatest miscarriage of justice I've seen in a hockey game in a number of years.  Well, except for maybe the cross checking call that was assessed on the same play to the T-birds Sam Knazko. Things that make you go whaaaaaaat?

And should it have been a penatly shot in the third period?  I don't know.  Those are so subjective.  I'm not sure it was a clear breakaway. But late in a 0-0 game do you want the outcome decided on a penalty shot that wasn't a clear cut, obvious call?  In Tuesday's loss to Spokane, Seattle had two breakaway chances that ended with a Spokane penalty, but neither time was Seattle awarded a penalty shot.  Consistency, that's all we're asking for. Consistency.

Despite that loss in Portland, I still loved the effort from the team in that game.  Seattle was playing their third game in four days and doing so with three of their top five scorers out of the lineup.  They had just played in Spokane less then 24-hours before. They spent 16-hours on the bus waiting for Snoqualmie Pass to open. It was an early start in Portland against a rested Winterhawks squad that hadn't played in four days and basically spent the entire month of December playing home games.  The T-birds buckled down and almost were able to grind this one out.  

The loss overshadowed the play of Milic in goal.  It may have been his best game as a T-bird.  I'm guessing he wasn't happy with how he played in the loss Tuesday at home to Spokane where he was pulled after giving up four goals.  Just a terrific job of putting that game behind him and refocusing his effort against the Winterhawks.  He was the best player on the ice.  He deserved better for his effort. As Head Coach Matt O'Dette said after the game, the whole team deserved better.

Let's hope Seattle gets those players missing from action back in the lineup soon.  That's a whole line of NHL drafted guys, and one soon to be NHL drafted guy, sidelined. I'm excited to see what this team can do the second half of the season if/when everyone comes back. You could argue Seattle played too much a price for a half season of a 20 year old player in Svejkovsky,but Seattle had a couple of extra first rounders, why not use one to make your already good team better?  

Remember, this is Rybinski's final season in the WHL. Let's not waste these final 4-5 month of his time in the league.  He's having an incredible season thus far. Now you have two of the best 20 year old forwards in the league.  Bringing in Svejkovsky improves the depth of an already deep forward group. I'm curious to see how O'Dette and his staff put their lines together now.  Does Svejkovsky automatically slot onto the top line?  Who gets bumped down?  All of a sudden, Seattle's third line is as good as many other team's first lines.  

When the T-birds acquired Svejkovsky, they had to trade away a 20-year old to get down to the league limit of three per roster.  Unfortunately Eric Van Impe was the odd man out. But give Bil LaForge and his scouts credit for the deal that brought back 19-year-old Chase Lacombe.  Seattle did their homework. It's only been two games but from what I've seen, Lacombe is just a,one year younger, version of Van Impe.  Maybe not as big but perhaps a little more physical.  That's a good value trade. Not every trade acquisition has to be a home run.  a solid double works too.  

I still wonder, with the loss of Ty Bauer long term, if Seattle might need to bring in another veteran WHL d-man.  We'll find out in just over two weeks.  The WHL trade deadline is January 17th.

My T-birds Three Stars of the Week:

Third Star:  The Young Guns!  While we play for the present, we've gotten a little glimpse of the future and the future looks bright!  Because of many different factors Seattle has had to dress a lot of young players recently. Seattle deployed as many as six, 16-year olds and one 15-year old over the last seven games. The 15 year old was 2020 first round pick Tij Iginla and he already has his first WHL point. 

How good was Seattle's 2020 draft?  We've already seen Sam Oremba, Scott Ratzlaff, Sawyer Mynio, Niko Tsakumis and Ethan Mittelsteadt. Now Coster Dunn has made his debut and he is another one of  those mid to late round picks that looks like he will shine as a T-bird, ala Donovan Neuls, Reid Schaefer or Nico Myatovic.   Meanwhile, waiting in the wings is Seattle's 2020 second round pick, Brayden Dube, who's currently lighting it up with the Dauphin Kings in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

Second Star: D Jeremy Hanzel.  Four points since returning from the Christmas break, tallying two goals and two assists. If he can continue that pace, maybe Seattle doesn't have to acquire another veteran defenseman before the trade deadline.  He has such a wicked shot and when he gets it on net it's deadly.

First Star: F Jared Davidson. He is now your team leader in scoring with 33 points in 31 games making him a point a game player.  He came ready to play post-Christmas break putting up six points this week (2g, 4a) and is now a +16 on the season.  

Fleas on a Dog

When my nephew was young, he came home from school one December day and told his mother he learned a new Christmas song.  He then proceeded to sing it to her.  Only he heard Feliz Navidad as "fleas on a dog".  That was about twenty years ago, but every Christmas since we all sing it to my nephew when we gather.  We won't let him forget.  This will be the second Christmas we won't get to "hound" him about it though.  Thanks Covid.

And speaking of fleas on a dog, a few thoughts on the Thunderbirds disappointing loss Saturday in Everett. Yes, the loss stings.  It's a bitter pill to swallow because of what was at stake.  Seattle had a chance to put themselves in first place in the Western Conference, even if only for 24 hours. They faced a team they had just beaten fairly convincingly the night before and now was down to just 14 healthy skaters. The same effort the T-birds put forth Friday night would have probably won the game Saturday. Unfortunatley, Seattle came out flat.

Everett played hard.  That's all they did. Pretty simple game plan.  Leave every ounce of energy on the ice.  They won most of the puck battles. They put forth the effort for sixty minutes that Seattle didn't. They did very little to generate much in the way of offense though.  The offense they got all came from Seattle mistakes. Mistakes that were the result of not being mentally focused when the game started. 

Give credit to Everett for not using a short bench as an excuse, but this loss is squarely on Seattle's shoulders.There are no "gimmies" in the Western Hockey League. The T-birds learned that lesson at the expense of the top of the standings.  Maybe that's the best Christmas present this team could receive. A valuable lesson that wins are earned, not given.   

Let's get past that loss.  Don't forget it though.  Remember that sour postgame taste and let it motivate you going forward. But in the big picture, it was just one of 68 games on the schedule.  There are 40 games still to be played.  Seattle finished the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule with the second best record in the Western Conference. They went into the break by going 7-1-2-0 in their last ten games.  They put themselves in position to compete for the best record in the West. I was asked, before the season began, what I thought would be a realistic goal for this team.  I said top four finish in the conference.  They are ahead of that prediction.  

So often we remember that bitter loss and don't celebrate the successes.  Head Coach Matt O'Dette said there was a lot of positives the first two and a half months. "You can kind of forget that with the way it ends, with the bad taste in our mouth, but there's a lot to be happy about, a lot to be excited about. We've had a fantastic first half."  

They are eleven games over .500 and I still don't believe they've played their best hockey. We've seen glimpses, a period here or there, where they have looked invincible, but it hasn't sustained itself over 60-minutes yet.  They are still a relatively young team so maybe we won't see that this season on a consistent basis.  Not having the full roster together, but for a few games, has played a part as well.  

They'll have to make do the second half of the season without their leader and captain Tyrel Bauer. That's a big loss to overcome.  I think Bauer was having the kind of season that would earn him an NHL deal from Winnipeg, the team that drafted him in the sixth round back in 2020.  I hope the injury doesn't curtail that.  He's a well rounded player that will give you a little bit of everything. His offensive game is deceptive.  Who leads the team in breakaway goals?  Bauer with two. Half his goals are game winners. With Bauer healthy, the T-birds had the top penalty killing unit in the WHL.  Since his injury they have slipped a few spots down the rankings.  

Will the Bauer injury prompt Thunderbirds General Manager Bil Laforge to use some of his large stock of draft capital to make a deal before the January trade deadline?  Or is he comfortable giving some of his young blue liners more ice time while knowing he'll have Sam Knazko back after World Juniors to eat up some of those minutes Bauer would have played? After all, they did post a 3-1 record with both Bauer and Knazko unavailable and probably should have gone 4-0.  One thing we've learned so far under Laforge's tenure, he is not shy about making deals. 

Additionally, the T-birds went into the Christmas break with just 12 forwards on the roster.   That won't be sustainable over the second half.  Teams usually carry 13 or 14. Look for an addition or two to the forward group.  Maybe they rotate in a couple of young prospects.  Perhaps a few games from recently signed 2021 first round draft pick Tij Iginla?  2020 second round pick Brayden Dube is doing quite well with the Dauphin Kings of the MJHL.  The 16 year old has 26-points (15g, 11a) in 15 games, skating with older players. Could we see him for a game or three?

Where are the Thunderbirds in their "compete window"? Has it started or are they a year away? Some of the earlier trades made by teams in contention have come at a high cost, as in top prospects and multiple high picks.  The T-birds have both, but is there an acquisition to be made that fills a need without breaking the bank? 

Over the weekend the Thunderbirds put 94 shots on goal in two games.  It tells you they are driving the play. It tells you they have the majority of the puck possession. It means most of the game is being played in the opposing team's end of the ice. Yet once again the opponent ends up with 14 power plays.  Make it make sense.  

The last time Seattle played a nearly complete season, 2019-20, they had 11 road wins in 30 away games.  So far this season, they have 11 road wins in 16 road games. They lost once in Spokane in overtme.  Their four road losses in regulation have all been in Everett. They need to solve that building.  Maybe an exorcism?

Projecting the WHL career arc of 16 year old prospects is a fool's game but I like what I have seen in the limited viewings of a pair of young Thunderbirds defensemen.  Both Niko Tsakumis and Ethan Mittelsteadt have more then held their own in the few games they've played.  

The Thunderbirds used three picks through the first six rounds of the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft on d-men. Sawyer Mynio was chosen in the third round, 63rd overall.  Mittelsteadt was a 5th round selection, while Tsakumis was taken in the 6th round. Combined that trio has played 22 games this season and compiled four points (3g, 1a) and are a combined +10. 

Four of the T-birds top six defensemen on this year's roster most likely are not returning next year.   20 year olds Ryan Gottfried and Eric Van Impe are definitely gone, 19 year old Knazko won't be back either and the status of the 19 year old Bauer is now up in the air. So, those three young d-men will be needed. Also a reason why the T-birds used three of their first five picks in last week's 2021 WHL Prospects Draft on defensemen. 

O'Dette left his team with this message going into the break, "Turn the minds off of hockey for a week or so." adding, "Take precautions. With Covid flaring up everywhere we have to be smart with what we're doing over the break. Be safe and enjoy time with families."  

My T-birds Three Stars for the Week: 

Third Star: D Ryan Gottfried.  Three assists in the three games for the 20 year old defenseman.  He lost his D partner to a long term injury and immediately stepped up his game.  He'll get a lot of shifts going forward with those green, young 16 year olds.  But if you trust him that's what you do and the T-birds trust him.

Second Star: G Thomas Milic.  When you win the first two games of the week by a combined score of 12-3, it's easy to overlook the performance of your goalie, but Milic was sharp in picking up two wins. Sometimes it's not the amount of saves you make but the timely manner in which you make those saves that wins you a game.  Certainly can't blame the 4-1 loss Saturday on Milic. His team didn't give him enough support.

First Star: C Henrik Rybinski. Rybinski was terrific in the two wins, but the true measure was Saturday in Everett.  When too many of his teammates didn't play with the passion needed, he was there working hard every shift.  Seven points over his last five games (3g, 4a) and points in 14 of his last 16. he finished the week with three points (1g, 2a) and a +3 rating.  Hard to imagine him not earning a pro contract by season's end.