T-Birds’ late flurry downs Rockets, 2-1 | WHL

For the Reporter

The Seattle Thunderbirds rallied for two goals in the third period to defeat the Kelowna Rockets 2-1 in a Western Hockey League game at the ShoWare Center on Tuesday night.

Seattle held off the Rockets’ furious attack in the last 30 seconds, ending when goalie Taran Kozun covered up the puck from within a scrum of bodies just as the horn sounded.

Seattle (28-20-3-3) has won five of its last six games. Kelowna falls to 42-9-3-1.

Kozun made 32 saves on 33 shots, earning his 25th victory this season. Michael Herringer, who was making his seventh appearance of the season, took his first loss of the year after stopping 25 of 27 shots.

The Rockets scored the game’s first goal at 9:14 of the second period. Nick Merkley eventually scored on his second attempt after his first shot rebounded right back to him. Merkley was able to work the puck between Kozun and the post, going high for his 17th goal of the season. Tyrell Goulbourne and Josh Morrissey had the assists.

Mathew Barzal tied the game at 10:22 in the third period after a flurry of shots by the T-Birds. Barzal took a pass from Ryan Gropp at the doorstep, where he pushed it past Herringer before anyone else could react to it. It was Barzal’s 10th goal of the season.

Jerret Smith gave Seattle their first lead of the game on the power play, scoring at 16:26 to make it 2-1. Smith took a point shot that Herringer couldn’t get a bead on thanks to several bodies in front blocking his view. The shot found the top shelf of the goal as Herringer’s glove was slow to arrive, giving Smith his sixth goal of the season. Barzal and Cory Millette assisted on the power-play goal.

Donovan Neuls nearly made it a two-goal lead with 1:20 left in the game. Neuls stole the puck in the offensive zone and got off an unpressured shot. Herringer got just enough of the puck to send it bouncing off his pads and over the goal, narrowly escaping disaster for Kelowna. That pressure kept Herringer from being able to leave the net until there were 15 seconds remaining and helped seal the Seattle victory.

Shots in the third period were 14-14, while faceoffs were 19-8 Kelowna.

Next up for the T-Birds is a game at Kamloops on Friday against the Blazers at 7 p.m. The T-Birds travel to Everett on Saturday to play the Silvertips 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 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday game days at 10 a.m. and Sunday game days at noon.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – No scoring. Penalties – Neuls, Seattle (holding), 1:47. Morrissey, Kelowna (holding), 6:16. Braid, Kelowna (major-fighting), 8:50. Wardley, Seattle (instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 8:50. Gatenby, Kelowna (interference, roughing), 19:34.

Second period – 1, Kelowna, Merkley 17 (Goulbourne, Morrissey), 9:14. Penalties – Eansor, Seattle (tripping), 3:13. Barzal, Seattle (hooking), 18:20.

Third period – 2, Seattle, Barzal 10 (Gropp), 10:22. 3, Seattle, Smith 6 (Barzal, Millette), 16:26 (pp). Penalties – Theodore, Seattle (high-sticking), 6:13. Draisaitl, Kelowna (holding), 6:41. Wardley, Seattle (roughing), 6:41. Linaker, Kelowna (hooking), 14:50. Gropp, Seattle (high-sticking), 19:48.

Shots on goal – Seattle 2-11-14 27, Kelowna 7-12-14 33. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 33 shots-32 saves (25-14-3-3); Kelowna, Herringer 27-25 (5-1-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 1-4; Kelowna 0-6. A – 5,001. Referees – Trevor Shively, Brett Iverson. Linesmen – Aaron Mills, Al Creigh.