Rouse, Swenson and Lipsbergs score in 6-3 loss to Winterhawks

KENNEWICK, September 9, 2012 — The Portland Winterhawks scored three power-play goals in the second period Saturday afternoon to help them skate to a 6-3 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds in a preseason game at the Red Lion Hotels’ Preseason Tournament in Kennewick.

This was the T-Birds second game at the weekend preseason tournament. They defeated the Tri-City Americans 4-3 in a shootout Friday evening. The T-Birds are 1-2-1-0 so far with two preseason games remaining.

The T-Birds finish out the preseason schedule with a home-and-home series against the Everett Silvertips. The T-Birds host the Silvertips on Friday, September 14, at 7:35pm at ShoWare Center. They are at Comcast Arena in Everett to play the Silvertips at 7:05pm. Single game tickets for the home preseason game will go on sale August 23.

Seattle opened the scoring at 9:42 of the first period on a goal from Brendan Rouse. Luke Lockhart assisted on the goal.

The lead was short lived as the Winterhawks scored the next five goals to take a 5-1 lead. Portland got two goals from Oliver Bjorkstrand in the first period to end the periods with a 2-1 lead.

Tyler Wotherspoon, Seth Jones and Nic Petan scored on the power-play in the second period before Seth Swenson got the T-Birds second goal of the game. Defenseman Taylor Green had the only assist on Swenson’s second goal of the preseason.

Petan had the sixth and final Portland goal midway through the third period. Roberts Lipsbergs scored an unassisted goal at 14:10 of the third for Seattle’s third and final goal.

Portland outshot Seattle 32-26 in the game.

Daniel Cotton started the game in net for Seattle and made 17 saves on 20 shots. Cotton was replaced by Danny Mumaugh in the middle of the second period. Mumaugh stopped nine of 12 shots in his half of the game.

Portland started Brendan Jensen in net and he made 10 saves on 11 shots before giving way to Jarrod Schamerhorn. Schamerhorn made 13 saves on 15 shots.  

The T-Birds will open the 2012-13 regular season against the Winterhawks at ShoWare Center on Saturday, September 22 at 7:05pm.

T-Birds single game tickets for the 2012-13 season are available online at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.

T-Birds season tickets are currently on sale. Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.

 SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Rouse 1 (Lockhart), 9:42. 2, Portland, Bjorkstrand 3 (Jones), 10:55. 3, Portland, Bjorkstrand 3 (Iverson, Hanson), 17:32. Penalties – Viveiros, Por (interference), 17:58.

Second period – 4, Portland, Wotherspoon 1 (Jones, Bjorkstrand), 9:00 (pp). 5, Portland, Jones 1 (Kopeck, De Leo), 10:31 (pp). 6, Portland, Petan 1 (Bjorkstrand, Jones), 12:21 (pp). 7, Seattle, Swenson 2 (Green), 13:59. Penalties – Elliot, Sea (roughing, major-fighting, game misconduct), 3:24. De Champlain, Por (major-fighting, game misconduct), 3:24. Leipsic, Por (boarding, game misconduct), 4:08. Alos, Sea (roughing), 8:47. Holub, Por (interference), 9:52. Sheen, Sea (slashing), 11:56. Wardley, Sea (major-fighting, game misconduct), 14:21. Iverson, Por (major-fighting, game misconduct), 14:21.

Third period – 8, Portland, Petan 2 (Bittner, Paterson), 12:48. 9, Seattle, Lipsbergs 2, 14:10. Penalties – Jones, Por (holding), 5:25. Hickman, Sea (holding), 16:59. Green, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:53. Mahon, Por (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:53.

Shots on goal – Seattle 7-13-6 26, Portland 17-9-6 32. Goalies – Seattle, Cotton 20 shots-17 saves, Mumaugh 12-9 (0-1-1-0); Portland, Jensen 11-10, Schamerhorn 15-13 (1-0-0-0). Power plays –Seattle 0-3; Portland 3-5. Referee – Mike Campbell, Ian Croft. Linesmen – Jason Michelbook, Daniel Spore.