For the Reporter
The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-3 Saturday night at Prospera Place in British Columbia to take a 2-0 lead in their second-round, best-of-seven Western Hockey League playoff series.
The Western Conference semifinal series shifts to Kent, with Games 3 on Tuesday and Game 4 Wednesday. The puck drops at 7:05 both nights at the ShoWare Center.
Tickets are available online and at the ShoWare Center box office.
Top-seeded Kelowna took a 1-0 lead eight minutes into the first period when Riley Stadel converted on a two-on-one break. Carter Rigby carried the puck down the right win and backhanded the puck across to Stadel. Stadel beat Seattle goalie Taran Kozun with a quick shot.
The Rockets made it a 2-0 lead at 11:46 of the first. Madison Bowey had the puck at the right point. Bowey made a slap pass to Nick Merkley to the left of the goal. Kozun went down to block a slap shot and then had to lunge across the crease to try and stop Merkley. Merkley got the puck under Kozun and into the net.
Seattle came right back and got on the scoreboard at 14:03 of the third. Russell Maxwell had the puck along the left boards and sent it low to Branden Troock along the goal line to the left of the Kelowna net. Troock backhanded the puck to Roberts Lipsbergs coming through crease. Lipsbergs beat Kelowna goalie Jordon Cooke with a backhand shot for his second goal of the playoffs.
The T-Birds tied the game 2-2 at 16:12 of the first. A good forecheck by Mitch Elliot and Keegan Kolesar kept the puck in the Rockets zone. The puck came to Kolesar in the slot and he put a shot on Cooke. The rebound bounced into the crease and Scott Eansor got it and backhanded it past the goalie for the tying goal.
The Rockets went in front 3-2 at 3:12 of the second period on a four-on-three power-play goal from Damon Severson. Severson scored on a wrist shot from the slot with Bowey and Merkley getting the assists.
Cole Linaker tipped a Carter Rigby shot at 4:46 of the second to give the Rockets a 4-2 lead. Severson had the second assist.
The Rockets went in front 5-2 when Rourke Chartier put back a rebound at14:01 of the second. Merkley and Severson had the assists.
Seattle earned a power play early in the third period and capitalized five seconds after it ended to get their third goal of the game. Shea Theodore took a shot from the slot that Cooke stopped. The rebound came to Alexander Delnov and he beat Cooke through the legs at 2:49. Mathew Barzal had the second assist.
The T-Birds pulled Kozun with 2:30 left in the game for an extra attacker. Kelowna’s Tyrel Goulbourne scored at 18:03 of the third to seal the win. Colton Heffley had an assist on the goal.
Seattle outshot Kelowna 13-6 in the third period and 39-30 in the game.
Kozun had 24 saves on 29 shots and his playoff record is now 4-3.
Cooke made 36 saves on 39 shots and his playoff record is now 6-1.
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SECOND-ROUND PLAYOFF SERIES GLANCE
Game 1 – At Kelowna 6, Seattle 2
Game 2 – At Kelowna 6, Seattle 3
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
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GAME 2 SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Kelowna, Stadel 1 (Rigby, Linaker), 8:00. 2, Kelowna, Merkley 1 (Bowey, Tvrdon), 11:46. 3, Seattle, Lipsbergs 2 (Troock, Maxwell),14:03. 4, Seattle, Eansor 4 (Kolesar), 16:12. Penalties – No penalties.
Second period – 5, Kelowna, Severson 3 (Bowey, Merkley), 3:12 (pp). 6, Kelowna, Linaker 3 (Rigby, Severson), 4:46. 7, Seattle, Chartier 4 (Merkley, Severson), 14:01. Penalties – Baillie, Kel (slashing), 1:39. Wardley, Sea (roughing), 1:39. Barzal, Sea (hooking), 2:52. Bear, Sea (interference), 7:01. Baillie, Kel (unsportsmanlike conduct), 14:15. Eansor, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 14:15. Eansor, Sea (hooking), 16:51. Baillie, Kel (high-sticking), 17:04.
Third period – 8, Seattle, Delnov 3 (Theodore, Barzal), 2:49. 9, Kelowna, Goulbourne 1 (Heffley), 18:03 (en). Penalties – Goulbourne, Kel (interference): 44. Kolesar, Sea (slashing) 10:26. Lees, Kel (cross checking), 10:26.
Shots on goal – Seattle 18-8-13 39, Kelowna 7-17-6 30. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 29 shots-24 saves (4-3); Kelowna, Cooke 39-26 (6-1). Power plays – Seattle 0-2; Kelowna 1-3. A – 5,675. Referees – Reagan Vetter, Nathan Wieler. Linesmen – Nick Bilko, Justin Hull.
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