The Portland Winterhawks started the new Western Hockey League season with a thud, falling 4-1 to the Seattle Thunderbirds on Friday at the Moda Center.
Seattle scored three goals — two by Ryan Gropp — in the third period to put the game away in front of 8,318 fans.
After a scoreless first period, the Hawks opened the scoring on a power play 4:28 into the second when Tyson Predinchuk pounced on a loose puck in the slot and fired it in for a 1-0 Portland lead.
Seattle evened it at the 14:39 mark when Keegan Kolesar scored on a power play to make it 1-1.
Seattle took a lead 2:34 into the third on Alexander True’s goal. That was followed by Gropp’s two scores to seal the win.
Adin Hill was solid in net for the Hawks, making 33 saves. Taran Kozun stopped 24 of 25 shots for Seattle.
Portland was playing with seven players away at National Hockey League training camps: Oliver Bjorkstrand, Brendan Burke, Anton Cederholm, Chase De Leo, Keegan Iverson, Nic Petan and Dominic Turgeon. Defensemen Josh Hanson and Blake Heinrich were also out due to injury.
The Hawks are back on the ice Saturday at the Moda Center against the Prince George Cougars.
