For the Reporter
Rookie goaltender Logan Flodell made 25 saves to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 3-2 overtime win over the Kelowna Rockets in a Western Hockey League game at Prospera Place on Wednesday night.
Lane Pederson scored the overtime game-winning goal at 3:06 of the extra frame. Defenseman Jerret Smith took a shot from the right circle that rebounded off Kelowna goalie Jackson Whistle into the circle. Pederson fought through a Kelowna defender to quickly snap the puck past Whistle.
Flodell, making his fifth start of the season, kept the Western Conference-leading Rockets at bay with several good saves in each period. His record is now 2-2-0-1. The T-Birds finished a 3-1-0-0 record against the Rockets in the four-game season series.
The win clinches third place in the U.S. Division for the T-Birds. The T-Birds are nine points ahead of the fourth place Spokane Chiefs, who have three games left and cannot catch the T-Birds.
The T-Birds will face either the Portland Winterhawks or the Everett Silvertips in the first round of the playoffs. The Winterhawks and Silvertips are tied for first place in the U.S. Division and each team has three games remaining. The T-Birds will play whichever team comes in second place in the division.
Seattle (36-25-4-5) took a 1-0 lead at 18:06 of the first period. Evan Wardley took a slap shot from the right point that hit Whistle in the chest. The puck rebounded up and over Whistle’s left shoulder and landed behind the goalie. Whistle leaned back and tried to grab the rolling puck but was out of his grasp and rolled across the goal line.
Seattle outshot Kelowna 10-7 in the first period.
Kelowna (51-13-5-1) tied the game 1:27 into the second period on a goal from Rourke Chartier. Nick Merkley and Tyrell Goulbourne had the assists.
The T-Birds converted on their fourth power play of the game to take a 2-1 lead at 14:32 of the second period. Mathew Barzal stick-handled with the puck along the left boards. Barzal made a cross-ice pass to Shea Theodore in the right circle. Theodore got the puck and sent it right to Cory Millette in front of Whistle. Millette redirected Theodore’s pass past Whistle for his 22nd goal of the season.
The Rockets led in shots, 18-14, after two periods by outshooting the T-Birds 11-4 in the second period.
Dillon Dube tied the game 2-2 with a power-play goal at 7:20 of the third period. Tyson Baillie and Leon Draisaitl had the assists.
The T-Birds outshot the Rockets 8-7 in the third period. The Rockets led 25-22 in shots after regulation.
The Rockets outshot the T-Birds 27-24 in the game.
Whistle stopped 21 of 24 shots and his record falls to 33-10-5-0.
Finishing the regular season
The T-Birds have two games remaining in the regular season. They are in Spokane to play the Chiefs at 7:05 p.m. Friday. They host the Portland Winterhawks at 7:05 p.m. Saturday.
Playoff tickets
Tickets for the Seattle Thunderbirds first home game of the playoffs are now on sale. Games 1, 2, 5 and 7 of the first-round series will be played in either Everett or Portland. Games 3, 4 and 6 will be played at ShoWare Center.
Game 3 of the first round will be Tuesday, March 31, at ShoWare Center at 7:05 p.m. The first home playoff game for the T-Birds is a Director’s Mortgage 2-for-Tuesday game. All tickets for Game 3 are 2-for-1 and ShoWare Center will feature concession specials including $2 beer, $2 hot dogs, $2 soda and $2 popcorn for all fans.
Tickets for Game 3 are on sale on 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 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.
Tickets for the remaining home playoff games will be put on sale once an opponent has been determined.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Wardley 6, 18:06. Penalties – Bear, Sea (interference), 4:54. Gatenby, Kel (hooking), 7:45. Goulbourne, Kel (tripping), 13:17. Ottenbreit, Kel (hooking), 14:59.
Second period – 2, Kelowna, Chartier 48 (Merkley, Goulbourne), 1:27. 3, Seattle, Millette 22 (Theodore, Barzal), 14:32 (pp). Penalties – Gatenby, Kel (interference), 3:52. Pederson, Sea (hooking), 11:34. Draisaitl, Kel (interference), 13:34.
Third period – 4, Kelowna, Dube 17 (Baillie, Draisaitl), 7:20 (pp). Penalties – Bowey, Kel (slashing), 1:49. Gropp, Sea (holding), 6:44. Chartier, Kel (checking to the head), 11:53. Wardley, Sea (roughing), 14:39.
Overtime – 5, Seattle, Pederson 8 (Smith), 3:06. Penalties – No penalties.
Shots on goal – Seattle 10-4-8-2 24, Kelowna 7-11-7-2 27. Goalies – Seattle, Flodell 27 shots-25 saves (2-2-0-1); Kelowna, Whistle 24-22 (33-10-5-0). Power plays – Seattle 1-6 Kelowna 1-5. A – 5,221. Referees – Ryan Benbow, Adam Griffiths. Linesmen – Kevin Crowell, Ward Pateman.
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