The ‘Birds are back.
For the second consecutive season, the Seattle Thunderbirds reached the Western Hockey League Finals after dispatching the Kelowna Rockets 3-1 in Game 6 of the Western Conference Championship series at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia on Sunday.
Austin Strand, Alexander True and Mathew Barzal scored goals and Carl Stankowski made 17 saves in the series-clinching win.
The Thunderbirds swept the Rockets 4-0 to win last year’s Western Conference title. Seattle went on to lose to the Brandon Wheat Kings in five games for the WHL crown.
Seattle faces the Regina Pats in the best-of-seven championship series, with Games 1 and 2 in Saskatchewan on Friday and Saturday. Games 3, 4, and, if necessary, 5 are at the ShoWare Center on May 9, May 10 and May 12, respectively.
Stankowski made 17 saves in Game 6 to improve his playoff record to 12-2.
Kelowna took a 1-0 lead at 15:57 of first period on Nolan Foote’s power-play goal.
The T-Birds killed off a five-minute major to Keegan Kolesar over the last 3:52 of the first period and the first 1:08 of the second period without allowing a shot on goal.
Kelowna outshot Seattle 4-1 in the first period.
The T-Birds tied the game 1-1 at 4:56 of the second period. Donovan Neuls passed the puck from the right corner to Strand at the right point. Strand crossed the puck to Jarret Tyszka who sent it right back to Strand, whose wrist shot with traffic in front of Kelowna goalie Michael Herringer found the back of the net.
Seattle took a 2-1 lead on a 5-on-3 power-play goal by True at 9:30 of the second period. True banged in a loose puck from the slot for his eighth goal of the playoffs. Neuls and Barzal had the assists.
The T-Birds extended the lead to 3-1 at 15:14 of the second. Ryan Gropp passed the puck along the blue line to Aaron Hyman at the right point. Hyman skated forward and found Barzal at the back door on the bottom of the left circle. Barzal put the puck over Herringer as the goalie tried to get over.
Seattle outshot Kelowna 11-5 in the second period and led 12-9 in shots after two periods.
The Rockets pulled Herringer with 2:48 left in the game while on the power play for a six-on-four advantage. Stankowski made several spectacular saves, including stopping Reid Gardiner in close with a left pad save, as the T-Birds were able to hold off the Rockets.
The T-Birds outshot the Rockets 10-9 in the third period and 22-18 in the game.
Herringer stopped 19 of 22 shots and his record in the playoffs finished at 10-7.
WESTERN FINALS SERIES GLANCE
Western Conference Championship
Game 1 – At Seattle 5, Kelowna 4
Game 2 – Kelowna 4, at Seattle 3, OT
Game 3 – Seattle 2, at Kelowna 1
Game 4 – At Kelowna 4, Seattle 2
Game 5 – At Seattle 5, Kelowna 3
Game 6 – Seattle 3, at Kelowna 1
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Kelowna, N. Foote 2 (Johansen, Merkley), 15:57 (pp). Penalties – Johansen, Kel (hooking), 6:43. Volcan, Sea (hooking), 10:55. Ottenbreit, Sea (delay of game), 15:09. Kolesar, Sea (major-checking from behind, game misconduct), 16:08.
Second period – 2, Seattle, Strand 4 (Tyszka, Neuls), 4:56. 3, Seattle, True 8 (Eansor, Barzal), 9:30 (pp). 4, Seattle, Barzal 5 (Hyman, Gropp), 15:14. Penalties – Dube, Kel (slashing), 7:52. Thurkauf, Kel (face off violation), 7:54. Bishop, Sea (holding opponents stick), 12:42. Bishop, Sea (hooking), 12:42. Tyszka, Sea (tripping), 16:36.
Third period – No scoring. Penalties – Merkley, Kel (slashing), 9:39. C. Foote, Kel (cross checking), 9:56. Harsch, Sea (slashing), 15:57.
Shots on goal – Seattle 1-11-10 22, Kelowna 4-5-9 18. Goalies – Seattle, Stankowski 18 shots-17 saves (12-2); Kelowna, Herringer 22-19 (10-6). Power plays – Seattle 1-5; Kelowna 1-7. A – 5,846. Referees – Steve Papp, Reagan Vetter. Linesmen – Nick Bilko, Nathan Van Oosten.
WHL FINALS SERIES GLANCE
WHL championship, best-of-seven
Regina vs. Seattle
Game 1 – Seattle at Regina, Friday, May 5, 6 p.m.
Game 2 – Seattle at Regina, Saturday, May 6, 6 p.m.
Game 3 – Regina at Seattle, Tuesday, May 9, 7:05 p.m.
Game 4 – Regina at Seattle, Wednesday, May 10, 7:05 p.m.
Game 5 – Regina at Seattle, Friday, May 12, 7:35 p.m.*
Game 6 – Seattle at Regina, Sunday, May 14, 5 p.m.*
Game 7 – Seattle at Regina, Monday, May 15, 6 p.m.*
* if necessary
Single-game tickets for Games 3 and 4 go on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday online and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center box office is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
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