Finding the Winning Formula Amidst Game Positives
Despite falling short in a 5-2 loss to the Everett Silvertips at the accesso ShoWare Center, Seattle Thunderbirds head coach Matt O’Dette remained resolute in his assessment of the game, acknowledging the positives his team can build on moving forward. “There’s a lot of positives to be had in this game,” O’Dette said. “There are no moral victories though. We’re disappointed but there is progress being made in our overall formula and the way we need to play. We went toe-to-toe with the best team in the league. Maybe it wasn’t their best game, but they didn’t barrage us with chances against. There was a lot of tidy play and improvements in our defending and our decision-making.”
For a team that has been struggling through the early part of the season, O’Dette’s comments offer a balanced perspective on what was a tough night for the Thunderbirds. The team showed resilience and improvement against a top-tier team in the Western Hockey League (WHL), a crucial takeaway for a squad that has been looking for momentum and consistency. Despite the loss, the game gave the team a chance to reflect on the areas in which they’ve made strides, even if the final result wasn’t what they hoped for.
Seattle came into the matchup against Everett, the league leaders at the time, with a record of 6-13-2-1. The Silvertips have been dominant in the WHL this season, and it was always going to be a tough challenge for the T-Birds to go up against such a high-caliber opponent. Everett proved why they are one of the best in the league, but Seattle’s ability to keep things relatively close for much of the game and improve on some key areas was encouraging, despite the eventual defeat.
The game started poorly for the Thunderbirds, as they found themselves down 2-0 after the first period. Both goals were scored by Carter Bear, who would go on to have a massive night for Everett, registering a hat-trick. Seattle, however, didn’t let the early deficit shake their confidence. The second period saw a much stronger effort from the Thunderbirds, as they managed to respond with a goal from Braeden Cootes, who scored his eighth of the season. The assist came from Simon Lovsin and Nathan Pilling, the latter of whom also had a hand in the game’s overall offensive effort.
“We grabbed some momentum,” O’Dette said of his team’s strong start to the second period. “You could feel the energy on the bench. We were making a push.” The Thunderbirds had finally found their footing and seemed to be closing the gap, but just as it looked like Seattle could make a game of it, Everett’s Bear struck again. With four minutes left in the period, Bear completed his hat-trick, restoring the Silvertips’ two-goal lead. The momentum Seattle had built was temporarily halted, but the team continued to battle.
The third period, however, proved to be where the game slipped away from the Thunderbirds. As O’Dette explained, “The start of the third, they got a couple. The fourth one kind of set us back.” Everett scored two quick goals in the opening minutes of the third period, taking a commanding 5-1 lead. At that point, it felt like the game was slipping away from Seattle, but the Thunderbirds showed some fight. After a timeout and some words of encouragement from O’Dette, the T-Birds responded with a goal of their own, making it 5-2. Pilling, who had assisted on Cootes’ second-period goal, scored his team-leading 13th of the season. Lovsin and Vanek Popil picked up the assists on the play, and for a moment, it seemed like Seattle might be able to stage a late rally.
“The third period, we didn’t quit,” O’Dette said. “But we didn’t create enough of a push and allowed a couple of tack-on goals. Then we just stopped executing easy passes and that didn’t give us enough opportunities to create more offense.” Although the game was out of reach at that point, Seattle’s effort remained commendable. They fought until the final buzzer, showing heart and resilience, even if the execution wasn’t always there. This was a game where, despite the outcome, there were signs of progress in terms of both individual performances and collective team play.
One of the most notable aspects of the game was Seattle’s discipline. The Thunderbirds entered the contest as the most penalized team in the WHL, a stat that has often hurt their chances this season. However, in this game, Seattle was not assessed a single penalty. There were just two minor penalties called the entire night, both on Everett: a cross-check in the second period and a too-many-men bench minor in the third. This marked a significant improvement for Seattle, which has struggled with its penalty kill in the past. However, despite the lack of penalties, the Thunderbirds’ power play failed to capitalize, going 0-for-2 on the night. This remains an area of concern that O’Dette and his coaching staff will need to address moving forward, but the lack of penalties was a definite positive.
The team also continued to deal with injuries that have plagued them throughout the season. Sawyer Mynio, who has been one of Seattle’s most productive players this year, missed his fourth straight game due to an upper-body injury. Mynio, despite playing in just 15 games, is third on the team in scoring with 17 points (4 goals, 13 assists). His absence has been felt, and with him listed as week-to-week, it’s unclear when he will be able to return. In addition, defenseman Will Jamieson remains out of the lineup with an upper-body injury. Jamieson, who has missed the last 12 games, adds depth to Seattle’s defense and is another important player who has been sidelined.
Despite these setbacks, there were still plenty of positives for the Thunderbirds to take from this game. The offensive line, particularly Nathan Pilling, was active and engaged. Pilling’s 13th goal of the season and his assist in the second period showed that he’s one of the key players for Seattle moving forward. His leadership on and off the ice will be critical as the team looks to grow and improve. Braeden Cootes, with his goal, also contributed positively to the offense, and Simon Lovsin continued to show his playmaking ability, contributing on both of the team’s goals.
Defensively, there were some encouraging signs as well. While the five goals allowed might seem like a lot, O’Dette pointed out that the team was able to defend better than in some of their previous outings. “They didn’t barrage us with chances against,” O’Dette said, acknowledging that while Everett took control in the third period, Seattle had made strides in tightening up defensively. The team’s overall defending was more organized, and they showed more discipline in their decision-making when it came to controlling the puck and limiting turnovers.
It’s clear that there’s work to be done, but O’Dette is right to point to the progress his team is making. The Thunderbirds were able to compete with one of the best teams in the league for the majority of the game, and even when things got out of hand in the third period, they didn’t back down. Instead, they pushed back with a goal, showing resilience even in defeat. This is a critical mindset for a team that is looking to rebuild and improve over the course of the season.
Thunderbirds’ next game is on Saturday when they host the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the annual Fred Meyer Teddy Bear Toss game. The game will be an important opportunity for the team to build on the progress they’ve made, with hopes of getting back into the win column. Game time is 7:05 p.m. at the accesso ShoWare Center, and tickets are available at seattlethunderbirds.com. The Thunderbirds will continue to work on their formula, and O’Dette’s leadership will be key as the team works toward their goals. With continued focus on their defensive structure, better execution on the power play, and getting key players back from injury, Seattle has a lot of potential to turn things around in the coming weeks.
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