Unbeaten Rockets burn Thunderbirds, 6-4 | WHL

For the Reporter

The Kelowna Rockets beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-4 Saturday night in Western Hockey League play at the ShoWare Center.

The Rockets are now 6-0-0-0 on the young season. The T-Birds dropped to 2-3-0-0.

Danny Mumaugh, making his season debut for Seattle, stopped 27 of 32 shots but took his first loss of the season. Jake Morrissey, in his debut for Kelowna, made three saves on five shots before being replaced by Jackson Whistle.

Whistle got the win, making 15 saves on 17 shots.

A great bit of possession hockey gave Seattle the game’s first goal 18 seconds into their two-man advantage. Ethan Bear let loose with a shot from the point that beat Morrissey low on the goaltender’s glove side to make it 1-0. Jerret Smith and Mathew Barzal had the assists on Bear’s first goal of the season.

Seattle made it two-for-two on the power play with a goal at 2:40. Alexander True threw the puck at the net on the rush as the defense closed in on him. The puck knuckled past Morrissey, making it 2-0 and leading to Morrissey being replaced by Whistle. Jared Hauf had the only assist.

Kelowna answered just as quickly, making it 2-1 at 3:12. Rourke Chartier had the goal, with Nick Merkley and Carter Rigby getting the assists.

The Rockets took the lead on a power play. Justin Kirkland tipped the puck into the net after Riley Stadel threw a pass across the crease from high in the faceoff circle. Merkley had the secondary assist on Kirkland’s goal at 5:45.

The blistering pace paid off, giving Seattle its third power play of the game at 18:50. The T-Birds couldn’t find their rhythm, going into the second period with 50 seconds more of five-on-four that ended scoreless.

Shots in the first were 9-8 Seattle, who also led in faceoffs 10-9 despite trailing in the game 3-2.

Barzal tied the game on the home team’s first shot of the period, coming at 8:00. Barzal took the pass from Gropp and sneaked a shot past a defender while deking. The shot whizzed over Whistle’s shoulder to make it 3-3. The assists went to Ryan Gropp and Keegan Kolesar.

A battle in front of the net gave Seattle the lead. Calvin Spencer worked away at a rebound, getting several shots off Whistle’s pads before fighting his stick loose and flipping it top shelf at 13:13. Barzal and Smith had the assists, giving both two on the night.

Shots in the second period were 12-6 Kelowna and faceoffs were 10-4 Kelowna. Seattle went into the final frame with a 4-3 lead.

The T-Birds went right to the penalty kill in the third with a penalty at 43 seconds in. Stadel tied the game with a power-play goal at 1:48. Merkley found Stadel skating toward the net, where the defenseman reacted quick enough to get the puck through Mumaugh’s pads as the goalie slid over. Kirkland had the secondary assist on Kelowna’s fourth goal.

Another power play came to the visitors amidst a flurry of shots at 4:49. Kelowna kept coming but Seattle stood strong and the game remained tied despite a shot off the post for the Rockets. The visitors’ seventh power play was more of the same, ending without a goal and producing a shorthanded chance for Seattle.

Chartier completed the hat trick and gave Kelowna the lead at 16:02. The 18-year-old took a slap shot as he skated up the ice on the rush. Mumaugh got his glove on the puck but was unable to hold on. Devante Stephens had the only assist on the goal.

Seattle pulled Mumaugh with 2:20 left in the game and down a goal. Whistle made a spectacular sequence of saves beginning with a shot through traffic by Smith and followed by a blocker save on the rebound the goaltender was able to fall on. The Rockets responded with an empty net goal at 19:35. Tyson Baillie eventually scored after hitting the puck off the post on his first attempt. There were no assists.

Shots in the final period were 13-6 Kelowna, while faceoffs were 7-7.

Back on the road

The T-Birds are on the road later this week, taking on the Spokane Chiefs at 7 p.m. Friday  and the Portland Winterhawks at 7 p.m. Saturday. Seattle’s next home game will be Tuesday, Oct. 14 against Spokane at 7:05 p.m.

Tickets

Single game tickets for the 2014-15 season 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.

Season tickets can be purchased by calling the T-Birds office at 253-239-7825.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Seattle, Bear 1 (Smith, Barzal), 1:05 (pp). 2, Seattle, True 2 (Hauf), 2:40 (pp). 3, Kelowna, Chartier 4 (Merkley, Rigby), 3:12. 4, Kelowna, Chartier 5 (Bowey, Merkley), 4:47 (pp). 5, Kelowna, Kirkland 3 (Stadel, Merkley), 5:45 (pp). Penalties – Baillie, Kelowna (high-sticking), :06. Bowey, Kelowna (boarding), :47. Holowko, Seattle (tripping), 4:27. Wardley, Seattle (slashing), 4:47. Baillie, Kelowna (checking to the head), 18:50.

Second period – 6, Seattle, Barzal 1 (Gropp, Kolesar), 8:00. 7, Seattle, Spencer 1 (Barzal, Smith), 13:13. Penalties – Wardley, Seattle (roughing), 9:23. Bench, Seattle (too many men-served by Baltram), 10:30.

Third period – 8, Kelowna, Stadel 4 (Merkley, Kirkland), 1:48 (pp). 9, Kelowna, Chartier 6 (Stephens), 16:02. 10, Kelowna, Baillie 8 (unassisted), 19:35 (en). Penalties – Wardley, Seattle (charging), :43. Hauf, Seattle (tripping), 4:49. Bowey, Kelowna (holding), 7:39. Baltram, Seattle (hooking), 12:03.

Shots on goal – Seattle 9-6-7 22, Kelowna 8-12-13 33. Goalies – Seattle, Mumaugh 32 shots-27 saves (0-1-0-0); Kelowna, Morrissey 5-3, Whistle 17-15 (6-0-0-0). Power plays – Seattle 2-4; Kelowna 3-7. A – 4,382. Referees – Trevor Shively, Nathan Wieler. Linesmen – Zach Brooks, Aaron Mills.