Rockets blast T-Birds in series opener | WHL playoffs

For the Reporter

The Kelowna Rockets beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-2 Thursday night at Prospera Place in Kelowna, B.C., in Game 1 of their best-of-seven, second-round Western Hockey League playoff series.

Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals is 7:05 p.m. Saturday in Kelowna.

The series returns to the ShoWare Center for Games 3 and 4 Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively. Face-off is 7:05 both nights.

The Rockets were 3-for-6 on the power play in the game while the T-Birds were 0-for-3.

Kelowna took a 1-0 lead 2:16 into the first period on a rebound goal by Cole Linaker. Tyrel Goulbourne got a shot off in close on Seattle goalie Taran Kozun. The rebound came to Linaker on top of the crease and he banged it past Kozun.

The Rockets struck again at 4:32 when Rourke Chartier scored on the power play. Chartier took a pass from Damon Severson and beat Kozun. Kelowna goalie Jordon Cooke had the second assist on the goal.

Seattle cut the lead to one goal at 7:44 of the first. Mathew Barzal gathered a turnover at the Rockets blue line and came in on a two-on-one break with Justin Hickman. Barzal sent the puck to Hickman in the right circle. Hickman looked to shoot then dragged the puck back across the crease to Barzal. Cooke went down to stop Hickman and Barzal had a wide open net and he slammed it home to get his first playoff goal.

Severson scored a power-play goal at 19:42 of first on a wrist shot to get the Rockets third goal of the game. Nick Merkley and Riley Stadel had the assists.

Kelowna outshot Seattle 13-9 in the first period.

Alexander Delnov cut the Rockets lead back to one at 3:07 of the second period. Delnov got to a loose puck in the neutral zone and entered the Rockets zone on the right side. Delnov cut into the slot and beat Cooke with a wrist shot.

Ryan Olsen scored a power-play goal at 13:04 of the second to get the Rockets the two-goal lead back. Merkley and Severson were credited with the assists.

The Rockets struck with 11 seconds left in the second period to take a 5-2 lead to the second intermission. Linaker won a faceoff in the Seattle zone to Madison Bowey. Bowey put a slap shot on goal that beat Kozun.

Kelowna outshot Seattle 16-10 in the second period and led 29-19 in shots after two periods.

Severson scored his second of the game 24 seconds into the third period to give the Rockets a 6-2 lead. The goal came while the teams were skating 4-on-4 after matching unsportsmanlike conduct penalties to Kelowna’s Tyson Baillie and Seattle’s Scott Eansor to end the second period. Justin Kirkland and Ryan Olsen had the assists.

Kelowna outshot Seattle 36-25 in the game.

Kozun stopped 30 of 36 shots and his playoff record is now 4-2.

Cooke made 23 saves on 25 shots and his playoff record is now 5-1.

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Second Round Schedule vs. Kelowna

Game 1 – At Kelowna 6, Seattle 2.

Game 2 – Seattle @ Kelowna Saturday, April 5, 7:05 p.m.

Game 3 – Kelowna @ Seattle Tuesday, April 8, 7:05 p.m.

Game 4 – Kelowna @ Seattle Wednesday, April 9, 7:05 p.m.

Game 5 – Seattle @ Kelowna Friday, April 11, 7:05 p.m.*

Game 6 – Kelowna @ Seattle Sunday, April 13, 5:05 p.m.*

Game 7 – Seattle @ Kelowna Tuesday, April 15, 7:05 p.m.*

*if necessary

T-Birds single game playoff tickets are available online at the T-Birds website at www.seattlethunderbirds.com 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 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.

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SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Kelowna, Linaker (Goulbourne), 2:16. 2, Kelowna, Chartier 4 (Severson, Cooke), 4:25. 3, Seattle, Barzal 1 (Hickman, Gropp), 7:44. 4, Kelowna, Severson 1 (Merkley, Stadel), 19:42 (pp). Penalties – Bowey, Kel (interference), :15. Theodore, Sea (high-sticking), 3:34. Troock, Sea (slashing), 13:37. Elliot, Sea (boarding), 17:53

Second period – 5, Seattle, Delnov 2, 3:07. 6, Kelowna, Olsen 2 (Merkley, Severson), 13:04 (pp). 7, Kelowna, Bowey 2 (Linaker), 19:49. Penalties -Troock, Sea (roughing), 10:10. Wardley, Sea (checking to the head), 12:15. Eansor, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 20:00. Baillie, Kel (unsportsmanlike conduct), 20:00.

Third period – 8, Kelowna, Severson 2 (Kirkland, Olsen), :24. Penalties -Elliot, Sea (tripping), 2:31. Kirkland, Kel (high-sticking), 4:28. Merkley, Kel (slashing), 15:09.

Shots on goal – Seattle 9-10-6 25, Kelowna 13-16-7 36. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 36 shots-30 saves (4-2); Kelowna, Cooke 25-23 (5-1). Power plays – Seattle 0-3; Kelowna 3-6. A – 4,581. Referees – Brett Iverson, Fraser Lawrence. Linesmen – Mike Langin, Nathan Van Oosten.