The Seattle Thunderbirds lost their opening game of the 2007 - 2008 at Kamloops on Saturday, September 22, when the Blazers managed to squeak out a 3 - 2 win in OT. Kind of a bummer, but, hey, the season’s early yet and Seattle still outranks primary rivals Everett and Portland (Portland sucks!) in the conference standings.

This season’s T-birds team is a great mix of players–seasoned veterans on their way up to the big show in the NHL (team captain Thomas Hickey and Bud Holloway were both selected by the LA Kings in the 2007 and 2006 drafts, respectively, Riku Helenius was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightening in 2006 and Jim O’Brien was selected by the Ottawa Senators in 2007) and younger boys just elevated from the kids’ leagues. WHL hockey as a whole isn’t quite as well-played as in the NHL but the games are exciting and legitimately competitive and fun.

The first home game is this coming weekend, Saturday, September 29 at Key Arena; game time is 7:05 pm and if getting the chance to see the T-birds defeat the Everett Silvertips isn’t enough of an incentive for you, several of the team’s sponsors have sweetened the deal by offering opening night giveaways like bottled water, magnetic team schedules, stadium horns, and much, much more. As a season ticketholder and long-time fan of the team, I can assure you that T-birds games are always a good time–lots of action on the ice and a knowledgeable, passionate fan base in the stand combine to make an excellent time for any game goer. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or the team itself (call 206-448-PUCK), the Hockey Store in Kingsgate or the Key Arena box office.