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Tipped Off
09-29-2006, 10:08 AM
T-birds netted a winner
By Jim Riley
Special to The Seattle Times

Derek Yeomans is a winner with the jewelry to prove it.

Yeomans was the backup goaltender when the Kelowna Rockets won the Memorial Cup championship in 2004, and he carried the load when the Rockets won the Western Hockey League title in 2005.

Now, in his final season of junior hockey, Yeomans will try to carry the Seattle Thunderbirds to the next level. The T-birds play their home opener at KeyArena on Saturday against the defending WHL champion Vancouver Giants.

Yeomans admits his winning attitude may be as important as his ability to stop the puck.

"I've been around winning teams and seen what it takes to be successful," Yeomans said. "Hopefully I can bring some of that knowledge here."

Yeomans, 20, is 88-50 with eight ties in both the regular season and the playoffs in the WHL and was sharp when the T-birds split a doubleheader in Prince George to open the season.

The 5-foot-11 veteran is also very comfortable playing at KeyArena, having shut out Seattle three consecutive times there in the playoffs two seasons ago.

Saturday

Vancouver Giants at Thunderbirds, 7:05 p.m., KKNW (1150 AM)
"There's just something about KeyArena," Yeomans said. "Things seem to go well for me there, and I hope it continues."

Yeomans, who has the reputation of being cool under pressure, became available because the Rockets were loaded at goaltender with Kristofer Westblom a year younger and waiting for a chance to play.

The Thunderbirds gave up defenseman Clayton Barthel, a Kelowna native, to get Yeomans as a replacement for Bryan Bridges, who graduated last season.

"We felt we needed a top guy because the goaltending in our division is so good," Seattle general manager Russ Farwell said. "It's an ideal fit for us. He adds a dimension to our team that you really need."

The Thunderbirds will open the season with Yeomans and rookie Jacob DeSerres in goal. DeSerres, 16, was only eligible for three games in Seattle last season and won all three. He also backstopped the Calgary Midgets to the Canadian national final.

"We believe in both our guys and are fortunate to have them both," Seattle coach Rob Sumner said. "It all starts with goaltending, and if you don't have a top guy, the most you're going to be is a pretty good team. Any time you can add a player like Yeomans, who is both a great goaltender and one who has winning experience, it really adds to your team."

Yeomans isn't shy about sharing a rosy prognosis for his new team.

"Everybody here really wants to win and, to be brutally honest, I think we have the team to do it," Yeomans said. "We have a lot of skill and speed and great leaders like Aaron Gagnon, Scott Jackson and Chris Durand. When I heard I was going to Seattle, I knew it was a team with the potential to be one of the best."