Reporter staff<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Seattle Thunderbirds are expected to be without two of their top players when they open the second round of the Western Hockey League playoffs against the arch-rival Everett Silvertips.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Right wing Keegan Kolesar will serve the second game of a two-game suspension when the T-Birds play Everett in the opener at 7:35 p.m. Friday at the ShoWare Center. League officials disciplined Kolesar for a hit against Prince George in game three of the first-round series. Seattle swept the series 4-0. Kolesar has 30 goals and 31 assists.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Left wing Ryan Gropp is expected to miss the game with an upper body injury, according to a report by 710 ESPN Seattle. Gropp has 34 goals and 36 assists to rank second on the T-Birds in scoring behind Mathew Barzal (27 goals, 61 assists).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n In addition to Barzal, Seattle will be led by standout Landon Bow, who was named the WHL Goaltender of the Month for March. Bow had a 11-0-0 record in the month, including the four postseason wins over Prince George. He had two shutouts and a 1.41 goals against average in the 11 games. He held opponents to two goals or fewer in nine of the games.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Everett took six of the 10 games against the T-Birds in the regular season but Seattle won the last three. The winner of the series advances to Round 3 to play the winner of the Victoria-Kelowna series.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n