Photoblog: Sharp Sweaters in Puget Sound
Sunday · Oct 7 · 2012 | 11:58 PM PDT
Later this week, the NHL lockout will become real. Tangible. Those season tickets sitting on your kitchen counter. They'll be worthless. You can take them to the rink. But they won't get you in. And even if they did, there'd be nothing to see.
I may live three hours away from the nearest NHL arena and thousands of miles away from my team, but it'll become real for me just the same when I endure the futility of trying to tune in on opening night. So in an effort to satisfy my hockey craving before any of that ugliness happens, I bought tickets to see some unadulterated WHL action.
Wow.
It was quite a night. What follows is a photoblog about my experience at Saturday's game at ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington as the Seattle Thunderbirds hosted the Everett Silvertips.
My last (and first) WHL game — a year ago to the day, as a matter of fact — was in Victoria between the newly-minted Royals and the Medicine Hat Tigers. Let's just say it didn't leave a lot of lasting memories.
Not only couldn't I tell you the score without looking it up, but I don't even remember who won or much of anything about that game. (The Royals lost 4-2.) So I must admit I wasn't exactly holding my breath for this one. As sad as that sounds.
Then the teams skated out. And I got a shock. Neither was wearing the jersey I expected. And as a guy who runs a website dedicated to the subject, the surprise was strange. Actually, it felt good. I didn't think I could be surprised by these things anymore. But it also hammered home the point that I don't cover the major juniors very well. (I'm working to fix that.)
Connor Honey and the T-Birds were sporting their two-tone blue alternate jersey, which is actually entering its second season. It debuted last fall — a fact I might've known had I bothered to go to any Seattle games last season. (No, apparently, I had to go all the way to Canada to watch a game that's played in my backyard.) But anyway, the jerseys looked positively phenomenal.
On the other side of Jesse Forsberg, the Silvertips were wearing a white jersey I'd never seen.
That's team captain Ryan Murray, wearing a unique C patch on his chest. If not for the lockout, I probably wouldn't have seen him. After being drafted by the Blue Jackets back in June, he was on track to make the NHL this season, I'm told. Instead, Murray was sporting a shiny new Silvertips sweater.
Turns out, it's not a third jersey as I briefly suspected. The Silvertips are celebrating their 10th anniversary this season with specially-designed home and road jerseys. (Which were unveiled two months ago.) And they looked "grrreat" on the ice as well.
Lest you think I'm only interested in looking at the jerseys during a hockey game, let me assure you I was very much into it. This game had it all. There was fast-paced action, lots of goals, drama, a penalty shot, and yes... even a couple of fights. This is hockey.
That's Michal Holub and Ben Betker getting friendly in the second period — which ended 2-2. After an early lull between two teams with losing records and the home team trailing for most of the game, something happened. The third period started.
I don't know how he did it, but coach Steve Konowalchuk lit a fire under his Thunderbirds. One goal after another, the T-Birds came roaring back. Alexander Delnov scored four minutes in for a 3-2 lead — making up for a missed penalty shot in the first period. Not 30 seconds later, team captain Luke Lockhart followed up with an insurance marker. And before it was all said and done, Shea Theodore notched a power-play goal (his second of the night!) and cemented the 5-2 Seattle victory.
A celebration well-earned.
Maybe I've been unfairly judging the WHL on one lackluster game I went to a year ago. If this is more like the sort of hockey one can expect on a regular basis from this league, count me in! (Especially if this lockout persists and there are no Lightning games to watch.)
And by the way, if any T-Birds fans are reading, you guys are awesome! The Royals didn't have the kind of support you brought Saturday — and they're in Canada. I especially liked the "Everett sucks" chant after the goals. (I'm eager to head up to Comcast Arena and see what the north sound crowd is like.)
Finally, if you were hoping for a closer look at the Thunderbirds' third jersey crest, I've got you covered. It's a sharp jersey, and if replicas had been available in the arena shop, I would've bought one. But at $300, an authentic was a bit too rich for me.
The Thunderbirds tell me the alternate uniform was designed by their in-house graphic artist Brian Eldridge.
Now here's to seeing more WHL games in the near future!
All photos © Chris Smith
Reader Comments (18)
This sounds like the WHL games I'm use to going to. Exciting, action packed, some fights, and great fans. You definitely should go to more games Chris.
Also Michal Holub (the Seattle player in the fight) is from the same town as me. I used to go to school with him.
Those jerseys are both awesome! Love the colours of them. The Thunderbirds is mindblowing. What a fantastic combination and use of the two tone blue. I would totally buy one if I lived in Seattle.
Also, the Silvertips is amazing too! Again, the colours stand out to me and I love the cool 'C' on the captains jersey. What a feast for the eyes that game must have been.
Thanks for the great pictures, Chris. Happy Canadian Thanksgiving!
Welcome to CHL hockey! I follow the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads and really wish they didn't rip off the Minnesota Wild's jersey. There is something to be said for creativity.
The Saint John Sea Dogs in that league debuted a new third jersey recently. Here it is http://stationnation.blogspot.ca/2012/08/passfail-sea-dogs-third-jeresy.html
I think the logo is supposed to remind fans of the former Saint John Flames in the AHL. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/fr/thumb/c/cb/StJohnFlames.gif/220px-StJohnFlames.gif
I'm glad you didn't give up on the WHL, Chris. I wouldn't consider myself a 'regular follower' of the Giants here in Vancouver, but more often than not when I do attend a few games through the season I am thoroughly entertained. These guys care and put it all on the line every night. They have something to prove. I even got to see an Oil Kings - Hitmen game on a recent business trip to Edmonton. Great action. You might also be interested to know (in talking to people at the Rexall Place team stores) that the team is slowly trying to become blue and gold rather than highlighting their red. That is a Calgary colour, so the Oil Kings are trying to distance themselves. That's a whole other story though! :)
Any idea what the KENT is about on the T-Birds crest?
Sure, the Thunderbirds have actually played in Kent, Washington (about 20 miles south of Seattle) since 2009 when they left Seattle's KeyArena. The Key was never meant for hockey and didn't really work well there. When the ShoWare Center opened in 2009, the T-Birds made the move but kept their name. The third jersey is a tribute to the town where they actually play. To my knowledge, there are no plans to change the name to Kent Thunderbirds or anything like that.
I'm in my seventh year as a Hitmen season ticket holder. You'll definitely get games all up and down the quality spectrum, as you would with the NHL (possibly more so), but when you get a good game, it's every bit as entertaining as the very best the NHL has to offer. What they lack in pure speed in every aspect of the game, those kids make up for with enthusiasm and reckless abandon.
The best hockey game I've ever seen live was easily a Hitmen-Giants game from, I think, 2008-09, when the two teams were the best in their respective conferences. It felt like a championship playoff game, and I didn't want it to end. Incredibly well played by both clubs, and I believe it ended 4-3. Shame they didn't meet in the Finals that year.
Glad you enjoyed the game! I am a TBird fan and although our team has struggled I love this league and the energy these YOUNG men bring night in and night out - hope to see you again in Kent!
Just a heads up: the Thunderbirds' online store has the replica alternate jersey. I would pick one up myself if I ever moved to Seattle!
"Later this week, the NHL lockout will become real. Tangible. Those season tickets sitting on your kitchen counter. They'll be worthless. You can take them to the rink. But they won't get you in. And even if they did, there'd be nothing to see."
You are breaking my heart Chris. As true as this is, you are absolutely breaking my heart.
I just saw the new replicas in their store today. What great timing!
Having been a die-hard Hitmen fan for the last 10 years, this sounds more like what I'm used to in the WHL. In fact, one of the best games I've seen was a 1-0 shootout win over Everett.
I hate to be the one to say it, but the Silvertips jerseys have some major flaws. The "Everett" and "Silvertips" on the front and back look ridiculous when the players have the jerseys on. They are hidden in the folds and are just way too small to be effective. Also, what's up with the front number? It also gets obscured (plus with the reebok and WHL logo already crowding up space, it's just too much). I think it would make more sense to throw the numbers on the front of the pants.
As for Seattle, pretty much perfect. I'd love to see the Canucks do a green third jersey very similar to this, with the "V" effect on front and back.
I follow the oil kings since I live in Edmonton. I was hoping there was something on your site about the host cities for the Memorial Cup. I know every year for 3 or 4 years the host city always wear a tribute jersey to the Canadian army. I've always loved seeing those jerseys they look pretty cool. Overall. I like the junior teams' jerseys they have some pretty funky color schemes.
I got to see the Thunderbirds in action last Friday night against the #1 ranked team in the WHL (Kamloops Blazers). Sadly they weren't wearing these beautiful 3rd jerseys. They were wearing their regular threads which really made me nostalgic for the Hartford Whalers.
The Blazers will be in Seattle on Sunday, October 28th.. if you have the chance you should go. Kamloops is a fast paced, fun team to watch.
Did anyone else notice the number on the players' bottom left corner of the Everett jerseys? Its an interesting and new idea for a tertiary number location. I like it. Both jerseys look really sharp. Great post!
Having been a season ticket holder and grown up watching both the Seattle Thunderbirds and Tacoma Rockets (before they moved), I can say this is quality hockey. I enjoy it more than some of the other leagues I've seen (ECHL). These kids have futures if they go hard 100% percent of the time, so you get a lot of action/heart and the fights that go with it. The production value by Portland, Seattle, and Everett is pro quality as well.
Im a Giants billet and season ticket holder and this sounds more like the WHL I know. This year the Giants stink but in the past they played many exciting and incredible games. One of the best games I can remember was the 2007 Memorial Cup Final between the Giants and Tigers. The adrenaline and bad blood between the two teams made the game so great and the Giants win in the end put the icing on the cake. BTW did you ever get around to getting that jersey Chris?