Seattle, WA (AP) - The new look Seattle Tsunami started their season out flat,
allowing the West Coast Express to rack up 16 shots against them in the first
period.  Less than two minutes into the game, Trent Hunter slipped past Seattle
rookie, Ryan Malone.  Making room for himself, Hunter shot the puck along the ice
and scored through traffic [IS3:SP8:G12].

Boos and catcalls fell from the stands.  The Key Arena crowd came to see the
Tsunami flood the scoreboard with home goals.  Pumping up the players and making
noise caused some miscommunication in the Express bench.  For thirty seconds, West
Coast attacked Luongo with six skaters.  Finally getting the attention of the
referee with his classic waving towel, Don Cherry managed to point out the
extra-attacker.

With Alex Tanguay sitting in the penalty box for the infraction, Seattle's power
play went to work.  Defenseman Brian Leetch who was brought in primarily for his
offensive flair gathered up the puck from the faceoff.  Passing the puck around,
Mark Recchi would take the initial shot.  Aebischer kicked out the save, but before
one of his teammates could clear it, Marian Hossa was there to scoop up the puck. 
Gliding around the defense, Hossa's backhand shot ricocheted off the crossbar to
tie the game less than a minute after surrendering the lead [IS6:GR6].

The next goal wouldn't be scored until late in the third period as the defensive
play for both teams settled the game down.  After killing a Brian Leetch penalty
for holding Ed Jovanovski, Seattle managed to turn the pressure back against West
Coast.   Keith Tkachuk laid a shoulder into Sami Salo as he picked up a pass.  With
sheer muscle, Tkachuk drove the puck past Aebischer [IS3:SP5:G13].  This goal would
end up standing up as the game-winner.

Ladislav Nagy scored an insurance goal a few minutes later, but the real fireworks
were just brewing.  As Nagy was emerging from the penalty box with just one second
remaining on the clock, Ed Jovanovski took a run at Brian Leetch.  The spearing
caused instant retaliation.  The final second lasted five minutes as the ice was
cleared of gloves, sticks and garbage thrown from the stands.  Only Leetch and
Jovanovski were given official penalties.

"It was a gritty win for us," said Leetch after the game.  "The crowd really helped
us out when things weren't looking too good."  Asked if the Jovanovski incident
would fuel a rivalry, he responded, "No, there's nothing I can say about that.  It
was just part of the game, frustration building up until a release.  I suppose I
was the most convenient target."

Starbuck's Three Stars
----------------------
1. Marian Hossa (SEA) - 1 goal, 2 assists, 3 shots, +2
2. Keith Tkachuk (SEA) - 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots, +1, GWG
3. Roberto Luongo (SEA) - 30/31 saves, 6/6 GRS

                     West Coast Express at Seattle Tsunami                      
DATE : 10/26/2004

GOALS                          1  2  3 OT  F
West Coast Express             1  0  0  0  1 
Seattle Tsunami                1  0  2  0  3 

SHOTS                          1  2  3 OT  F
West Coast Express             16 7  8  0  31
Seattle Tsunami                7  9  10 0  26

 G O A L  S U M M A R Y 
1. WCE. TRENT HUNTER(1)( JOE THORNTON, DICK TARNSTROM ): 1st 1:42
2. SEA. MARIAN HOSSA(1)( KEITH TKACHUK, BRIAN LEETCH ) (PP) : 1st 3:38
3. SEA. KEITH TKACHUK(1)( DAYMOND LANGKOW, MARIAN HOSSA ): 3rd 14:49
4. SEA. LADISLAV NAGY(1)( MARIAN HOSSA, BRIAN LEETCH ): 3rd 16:18

 P E N A L T I E S  S U M M A R Y
1. WCE. BENCH PENALTY - 2 Minutes: 1st 3:11
     EXTRA MINOR SERVED BY ALEX TANGUAY
3. WCE. GARY ROBERTS - 2 Minutes: 1st 7:14
4. WCE. TUOMO RUUTU - 2 Minutes: 1st 10:47
5. SEA. KEITH TKACHUK - 2 Minutes: 1st 10:47
6. SEA. SAKU KOIVU - 2 Minutes: 1st 17:33
7. SEA. RYAN MALONE - 4 Minutes: 2nd 0:54
     EXTRA MINOR SERVED BY BRIAN LEETCH
9. WCE. TRENT HUNTER - 2 Minutes: 2nd 0:54
10. SEA. TEPPO NUMMINEN - 2 Minutes: 2nd 10:46
11. SEA. MIKE VAN RYN - 2 Minutes: 3rd 1:38
12. SEA. SAKU KOIVU - 2 Minutes: 3rd 6:47
13. WCE. ALEX TANGUAY - 4 Minutes: 3rd 9:33
     EXTRA MINOR SERVED BY DICK TARNSTROM
15. SEA. MARCO STURM - 2 Minutes: 3rd 9:33
16. SEA. BRIAN LEETCH - 2 Minutes: 3rd 11:59
17. SEA. LADISLAV NAGY - 2 Minutes: 3rd 17:42
18. WCE. ED JOVANOVSKI - 2 Minutes: 3rd 19:59
19. SEA. BRIAN LEETCH - 2 Minutes: 3rd 19:59

 I N J U R I E S
NONE

Player Stats For West Coast Express
PLAYER                        +/- SOG  G  A PIM PP SH  FO-W AC    IT TA HIT SP AS
TONY AMONTE                    -1   3  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 28 16:58  0   0  1  0 
JAN BULIS                       0   2  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 12  6:38  0   0  0  0 
PAVEL DATSYUK                  -1   2  0  0   0  0  0   2-0 25 15:16  1   0  1  1 
ADAM HALL                       0   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 18 10:29  0   0  0  0 
SCOTT HANNAN                   -1   2  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 33 20:13  0   3  0  0 
TRENT HUNTER                    1   6  1  0   2  0  0   0-0 29 15:12  0   0  0  2 
ED JOVANOVSKI                   0   1  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 44 25:58  0   2  0  0 
MIKE MODANO                     0   1  0  0   0  0  0   6-4 27 15:14  0   1  0  1 
ETHAN MOREAU                   -1   2  0  0   0  0  0   3-2 24 14:47  1   0  0  0 
MATTIAS OHLUND                  0   3  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 43 25:18  0   0  0  0 
BRAD RICHARDS                  -1   1  0  0   0  0  0   2-0 36 19:38  0   0  1  2 
GARY ROBERTS                    1   1  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 27 15:07  0   0  0  0 
TUOMO RUUTU                    -1   0  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 26 15:24  0   0  0  0 
SAMI SALO                      -1   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 22 13:39  0   0  0  0 
ALEX TANGUAY                   -1   2  0  0   4  0  0   1-0 39 22:07  3   0  4  0 
DICK TARNSTROM                  0   4  0  1   0  0  0   0-0 44 23:41  1   0  4  1 
JOE THORNTON                    1   1  0  1   0  0  0  11-7 35 18:01  0   1  0  1 
RHETT WARRENER                  0   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0  3  1:22  0   0  0  0 
BENCH                                         2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL                          -5  31  1  2  14  0  0 25-13           6   7 11  8

Player Stats For Seattle Tsunami
PLAYER                        +/- SOG  G  A PIM PP SH  FO-W AC    IT TA HIT SP AS
DAN BOYLE                       1   1  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 31 18:51  2   2  0  0 
DALLAS DRAKE                   -1   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 30 16:35  0   0  0  0 
SIMON GAGNE                     0   1  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 18 10:29  0   0  0  0 
MARIAN HOSSA                    2   3  1  2   0  1  0   0-0 33 19:39  1   1  1  1 
SAKU KOIVU                      1   2  0  0   4  0  0   5-5 27 16:03  2   0  0  0 
DAYMOND LANGKOW                 1   3  0  1   0  0  0   7-3 28 16:29  0   0  0  1 
BRIAN LEETCH                    0   4  0  2   4  0  0   0-0 50 28:05  0   2  0  1 
RYAN MALONE                    -1   0  0  0   4  0  0   2-1 29 15:12  0   1  0  0 
LADISLAV NAGY                   1   3  1  0   2  0  0   0-0 23 14:11  0   0  0  1 
TEPPO NUMMINEN                  0   1  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 19 11:28  0   0  0  0 
CHRIS PHILLIPS                  1   0  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 33 19:06  1   0  0  0 
MARK RECCHI                     0   2  0  0   0  0  0   2-1 21 13:31  0   0  1  1 
STEVE RUCCHIN                  -1   0  0  0   0  0  0   8-2 32 16:39  0   0  0  1 
JASON SMITH                     0   1  0  0   0  0  0   0-0 15  8:56  1   0  0  0 
MARCO STURM                     0   1  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 18 10:29  0   0  0  0 
KEITH TKACHUK                   1   3  1  1   2  0  0   0-0 27 15:54  0   0  0  1 
MIKE VAN RYN                    0   1  0  0   2  0  0   0-0 55 30:16  0   1  0  1 
ALEXEI YASHIN                   0   0  0  0   0  0  0   1-0 12  6:38  0   0  0  0 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL                           5  26  3  6  22  1  0 25-12           7   7  2  8

Goalie Stats For West Coast Express
PLAYER                          MIN  SHOTS GA  ENG GR GRS
DAVID AEBISCHER                  60     26  3    0  4  2   105 
DAN CLOUTIER                     0      0   0    0  0  0   0   

Goalie Stats For Seattle Tsunami
PLAYER                          MIN  SHOTS GA  ENG GR GRS
TY CONKLIN                       0      0   0    0  0  0   0   
ROBERTO LUONGO                   60     31  1    0  6  6   105 

POWER PLAY                    OPP   GOALS
West Coast Express            7         0
Seattle Tsunami               3         1
