Rockets push T-Birds to the brink of elimination | WHL playoffs

For the Reporter

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.

The Thunderbirds will try to avoid the sweep in Game 4 at 7:05 tonight at the ShoWare Center.

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.

The Rockets took a 2-0 lead in the first period and never relinquished it.

the lead late in the first, scoring on the power play at 19:39.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

However, Justin Kirkland scored on the power play for Kelowna, extending the lead back to three goals.

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.

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.

Alexander Delnov scored with 1:17 left in the game to make it 5-4.

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SECOND-ROUND PLAYOFF SERIES

Game 1 – At Kelowna 6, Seattle 2

Game 2 – At Kelowna 6, Seattle 3

Game 3 – Kelowna 5, at Seattle 4

Game 4 – Kelowna @ Seattle Wednesday, April 9, 7:05 p.m.

Game 5 – Seattle @ Kelowna Friday, April 11, 7:05 p.m.*

Game 6 – Kelowna @ Seattle Sunday, April 13, 5:05 p.m.*

Game 7 – Seattle @ Kelowna Tuesday, April 15, 7:05 p.m.*

*if necessary

Tickets are available online at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office.

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GAME 3 SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Kelowna, Olsen 3 (Severson, Merkley), 18:39 (pp). 2, Kelowna, Goulbourne 2 (Martin, Severson), 19:03. Penalties – Heffley, Kelowna (slashing), 7:26. Martin, Kelowna (slashing), 8:07. Wheaton, Kelowna (tripping), 9:39. Eansor, Seattle (cross-checking), 18:07.

Second period – 3, Seattle, Bear 1 (unassisted), 4:12. 4, Kelowna, Baillie 2 (Tvrdon, Lees), 7:23. 5, Kelowna, Bowey 3 (Tvrdon, Wheaton), 9:54. Penalties – Wardley, Seattle (interference), 5:14. Olsen, Kelowna (tripping), 8:22. Troock, Seattle (tripping), 9:40. Kirkland, Kelowna (high-sticking), 11:43. Severson, Kelowna (tripping), 13:38. Tvrdon, Kelowna (high-sticking), 19:42. Delnov, Seattle (hooking), 19:56.

Third period – 6, Seattle, Henry 1 (Barzal, Theodore), 1:44. 7, Kelowna, Kirkland 3 (Bowey), 6:07 (pp). 8, Seattle, Hickman 2 (Maxwell, Lipsbergs), 7:21 (pp). 9, Seattle, Delnov 4 (Barzal), 18:43. Penalties – Bowey, Kelowna (boarding), 1:22. Eansor, Seattle (high-sticking), 5:48. Tvrdon, Kelowna (unsportsmanlike conduct), 6:15. Tvrdon, Kelowna (interference), 6:15. Delnov, Seattle (roughing), 16:23. Kirkland, Kelowna (slashing), 16:23.

Shots on goal – Seattle 13-7-12 32, Kelowna 12-16-4 32. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 32 shots-27 saves (4-4-0); Kelowna, Cooke 32-28 (7-1-0). Power plays – Seattle 1-10; Kelowna 2-5. A – 5,029. Referees – Ian Croft, Sean Raphael. Linesmen – Zach Brooks, Nathan Van Oosten.