The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 7-4 in a Western Hockey League matinee Monday at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia.
The game had two firsts for the T-Birds. Defenseman Jared Pelechaty scored his first career WHL goal and defenseman Reece Harsch made his Seattle debut since joining the team from the Grand Prairie Storm of the Albert Midget Hockey League.
Seattle (28-22-3-0) took a 1-0 lead at 7:10 of the first period on defenseman Jared Pelechaty’s first career goal. Scott Eansor had the puck on the right boards. He crossed the puck to Pelechaty who skated down from the left point and put a slap shot on goal. Pelechaty’s shot beat Kelowna goalie Michael Herringer over the glove. Herringer was screened by a T-Bird forward on the goal.
Seattle outshot Kelowna 13-9 in the second period.
Kelowna (37-14-3-0) tied the game 1-1 on a shorthanded goal by Rourke Chartier at 5:52 of the second period. Justin Kirkland had the only assist on the goal.
Kirkland put the Rockets in front 2-1 at the 14-minute mark of the second.
The T-Birds came right back and tied the game 2-2 on a four-on-three power-play goal from Mathew Barzal at 17:06 of the second. Ryan Gropp passed the puck from the left corner to Ethan Bear along the boards. Bear centered the puck to Barzal in the high slot. Barzal took a slap shot that deflected off a Kelowna defenseman’s stick and over Herringer’s glove. It was Barzal’s 15th goal of the season.
The Rockets outshot the T-Birds 21-5 in the second period and led 30-18 in total shots after two periods.
The T-Birds and Rockets combined for seven goals in the third period, the first being scored by the T-Birds on the power play.
Eansor backhanded the puck past Herringer at 6:14 for his seventh goal of the season. Bryan Allbee took a slap shot that hit Herringer but the rebound went right to Eansor to the right of the goal. Bear had the second assist on the goal.
The Rockets tied the game 3-3 at 8:14 of the third on a power-play goal from Cole Linaker.
Kelowna then scored three more goals to take a 6-3 lead. Tyson Baillie scored at 11:27 and then Chartier at 12:34 and 14:45.
The T-Birds cut the lead to two goals at 17:34 of the period. Nolan Volcan banged in a puck from the left of the goal just after a power-play ended. Donovan Neuls and Eansor had the assist.
Kirkland scored an empty-net goal with 18:21 left in third to seal the win.
The T-Birds outshot the Rockets 13-11 in the third period. The Rockets finished with a 41-31 advantage in shots.
Flodell made 34 saves on 40 shots and his record is now 14-12-3-0.
Herringer made 27 saves on 31 shots and his record is now 18-8-0-1.
Same teams Tuesday in Kent
The T-Birds and Rockets meet in the second game of a home-and-home series on Tuesday at ShoWare Center at 7:05 p.m.
Tickets are available online at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.
Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Pelechaty 1 (Eansor), 7:10. Penalties – Uhrich, Sea (major-fighting), 2:18. Stadel, Kel (major-fighting), 2:18. Kolesar, Sea (tripping), 4:24. Holowko, Sea (roughing), 7:21. Chizen, Kel (roughing), 7:21. Smart, Kel (hooking), 10:48.
Second period – 1, Kelowna, Chartier 12 (Kirkland), 5:52 (sh). 3, Kelowna, Kirkland 21 (Baillie), 14:00. 4, Seattle, Barzal 15 (Bear, Gropp), 17:16 (pp). Penalties – Baillie, Kel (elbowing, unsportsmanlike conduct), 2:10. Lind, Kel (roughing), 16:09. Leth Kel (roughing), 16:09. Chartier, Kel (tripping), 16:57. Bear, Sea (goaltender interference), 19:56.
Third period – 5, Seattle, Eansor 7 (Allbee, Bear), 6:14 (pp). 6, Kelowna, Linaker 13 (Soustal, Johansen), 8:14 (pp). 7, Kelowna, Baillie 31 (Johansen, Kirkland), 11:27 (pp). 8, Kelowna, Chartier 13 (Dube, Lind), 12:34. 9, Kelowna, Chartier 14 (Dube, Stephens), 14:45. 10, Seattle, Volcan 11 (Neuls, Eansor), 17:34. 11, Kelowna, Kirkland 22 (Soustal, Baillie), 18:21 (en). Penalties – Dube, Kel (roughing), 4:40. Gropp, Sea (cross checking), 7:36. Uhrich, Sea (slashing), 11:13. Thurkauf, Kel (boarding), 15:31.
Shots on goal – Seattle 13-5-13 31, Kelowna 9-21-11 41. Goalies – Seattle, Flodell 40 shots-34 saves (14-12-3-0); Kelowna, Herringer 31-27 (18-8-0-1). Power plays – Seattle 2-5; Kelowna 2-4. A – 5,252. Referees – Tyler Adair, Adam Griffiths. Linesmen – Kevin Crowell, Cody Wanner.
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