The Seattle Thunderbirds kicked off the 2018 Memorial Cup with a 4-1 victory over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan on Friday night. The Thunderbirds, who are the host team for the tournament, got off to a strong start and never looked back.
The Thunderbirds got on the board early, with Matthew Wedman scoring just 2:18 into the game. Wedman was assisted by Noah Philp and Nolan Volcan. The Thunderbirds then added to their lead in the second period when Austin Strand scored on the power play. Strand was assisted by Donovan Neuls and Sami Moilanen.
The Titan finally got on the board in the third period when Jeffrey Truchon-Viel scored on the power play. However, that was all the offense the Titan could muster, as the Thunderbirds added two more goals in the third period to seal the victory.
The Thunderbirds were led by Wedman, who had a goal and an assist in the game. Neuls also had a strong performance, recording two assists. Goaltender Liam Hughes was solid in net, making 27 saves on 28 shots.
The Thunderbirds will now face off against the Hamilton Bulldogs in their second game of the tournament on Sunday. The Thunderbirds will look to build on their strong start and continue their winning ways. The Memorial Cup is a prestigious tournament and the Thunderbirds are looking to make a statement with their performance.
