For the Reporter<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-4 Tuesday night at the ShoWare Center to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their best-of-seven, second-round Western Hockey League playoff series.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Thunderbirds will try to avoid the sweep in Game 4 at 7:05 tonight at the ShoWare Center.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Taran Kozun and Jordon Cooke faced 32 shots in the game. Kozun stopped 27 for Seattle, getting the loss to even his playoff record at 4-4. Cooke is now 7-1 in the playoffs this season after stopping 28 shots.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Rockets took a 2-0 lead in the first period and never relinquished it.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n the lead late in the first, scoring on the power play at 19:39.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Ryan Olsen scored on a power play at 19:39. Tyrell Goulbourne skated untouched down the wing after a Seattle defender lost his footing and let loose a shot from the left faceoff circle that made it past Kozun.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Seattle scored on its first shot of the second period, coming at 4:12. Ethan Bear ripped a slap shot as he attempted to keep the puck in the zone. The puck trickled through Cooke’s pads for the T-Birds’ first goal of the night.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n But the Rockets made it 3-1 just after a second power play expired. Marek Tvrdon came down the left wing and crossed the puck through the crease to Tyson Baillie, who tapped the puck into an empty net.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n A 4-on-4 goal for the Rockets made it 4-1. Madison Bowey put home a rebound as Kozun kicked toward the puck to score his third of the playoffs. The goal came at 9:54 and came off assists by Tvrdon and Mitchell Wheaton.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n In the third period, penalty expired. Adam Henry’s shot from the point beat Cooke through a bit of traffic, making it 4-2 at 1:44. Mathew Barzal and Shea Theodore had the assists on what was an even-strength goal.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n However, Justin Kirkland scored on the power play for Kelowna, extending the lead back to three goals.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Two penalties against the visitors put the T-Birds on the power play for four minutes straight at 6:15, representing their ninth and 10th power plays of the game. Justin Hickman scored 1:55 into this advantage, giving Seattle their third goal and once again cutting the deficit to two. Maxwell made a pass across the zone to Hickman, who ripped the shot into the net before Cooke could get across. The goal came at 7:21.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The T-Birds pulled their goalie with 3:27 left in the game. Kelowna iced the puck twice in a minute as they attempted to score to seal the game. Other than these two attempts, Seattle controlled the puck and held it in the offensive zone, sending multiple shots wide.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Alexander Delnov scored with 1:17 left in the game to make it 5-4.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n ====<\/p>\n<\/p>\n SECOND-ROUND PLAYOFF SERIES<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Game 1 <\/strong>– At Kelowna 6, Seattle 2<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Game 2<\/strong> – At Kelowna 6, Seattle 3<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Game 3 <\/strong>– Kelowna 5, at Seattle 4<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Game 4 <\/strong>– Kelowna @ Seattle Wednesday, April 9, 7:05 p.m.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n