Seattle Thunderbirds’ wing Lucas Ciona celebrates during a 4-1 win over the Kelowna Rockets in Game 2 of the WHL playoffs April 1 at the ShoWare Center in Kent. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, Seattle Thunderbirds

Seattle Thunderbirds’ wing Lucas Ciona celebrates during a 4-1 win over the Kelowna Rockets in Game 2 of the WHL playoffs April 1 at the ShoWare Center in Kent. COURTESY PHOTO, Brian Liesse, Seattle Thunderbirds

Kent-based T-Birds advance to WHL playoffs second round with series sweep

Seattle wins all four games against Kelowna Rockets; next round starts April 14 at ShoWare Center

The Kent-based Seattle Thunderbirds blanked the Kelowna Rockets 3-0 for a four-game sweep in the opening round of the Western Hockey League playoffs.

Goalie Thomas Milic turned aside all 19 shots he faced in the victory Wednesday, April 5 at Kelowna, British Columbia. The T-Birds also won April 4 at Kelowna after winning their first two games at the accesso ShoWare Center.

Seattle advances to the second round against a still-to-be determined opponent. The series will begin Friday, April 14 at the ShoWare Center.

“Our team was excellent, especially on the PK (penalty kill),” Milic said. “We won the special team battle.”

Milic didn’t face a lot of shots, having to make just one save in the third period. He said he’s learned to stay sharp in low-shot games.

“It something I’ve learned this season, in those lower-shot games, just staying focused and consistent throughout,” he said.

It was a scoreless game through the first period. Kelowna began period two with 67 seconds of 5-on-3 power play time. The T-Birds killed it off, limiting the Rockets to just two shots. Thunderbirds coach Matt O’Dette called it a pivotal moment in the game.

“Taking penalties there was not ideal,” he said. “If you want to give a team some life, some belief, that would be the way to do it. Not ideal for us but that kill was big. It gave us a boost for the rest of the game.”

Not long after the penalty kill, Seattle was awarded its first power play of the night and it converted when Lucas Ciona tipped in a shot from Reid Schaefer at 8 minutes, 42 seconds. Ciona scored three times in the series and two of them were game winners.

“You just try to bear down when you get chances like that,” said Ciona, a Calgary Flames prospect. “They don’t always go in so it was nice to get a couple and nice to get the series done.”

The T-Birds put the game away with goals from Dylan Guenther and Jordan Gustafson four minutes apart, midway through the third period. Guenther’s goal was his team-leading fifth of the playoffs.

O’Dette said despite the sweep, it was a tough series and Kelowna gave the T-Birds their best effort.

“It’s never easy.” he said. “All the teams that get in the playoffs are good. Those guys played us tough each and every game. At no point did it ever feel comfortable. A lot of credit to the Kelowna Rockets and their staff.”

T-birds extras

• Seattle outscored the Rockets 11-0 in the third period in the four-game series, outshooting them in the process 69-24. The T-Birds allowed just four goals in the series.

• Seattle once again played without Brad Lambert, who missed his second straight game to a non-Covid illness.

• Jordan Gustafson missed 29 of 31 games to injury before re-entering the lineup in Game 3. He promptly picked up three points in two games (2 goals, 1 assist).

O’Dette said the team will use the week and a half ahead of round two to rest and prepare for the next opponent.

“Rest is huge,” he said. “You want to advance through the playoffs as efficiently as possible. We’ve had some illness going around the team. We’ll have some time to get over that.”

He added it will finally be nice to have everyone healthy for the first time since the January trade deadline.

“It’s something I’ve been saying throughout the second half of the season,” he said. “We want to get some continuity with our group and see what everyone looks like in the lineup at the same time.”

• Guenther, an Arizona Coyotes prospect, who won a WHL Championship against Seattle with the Edmonton Oil Kings a season ago, was the T-Birds’ scoring leader in the first round, totalling seven points (5 goals, 2 assists).

• Milic, a 2023 NHL Draft prospect, posted a 1.00 goals-against average and .958 save percentage over the four-game set.

Thom Beuning, of the Seattle Thunderbirds, contributed to this article.


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in Sports

Kentridge girls soccer surprised the three signees at Kentridge. Photo provided by @ETDPI on Instagram.
National Signing Day for Kentridge | Photos

Four Chargers offically signed to play college sports.

Graphic provided by Kent School District.
Athlete of the Week for Nov. 22: Kentwood

Nick Greutman (tennis) and Rowan Parsons (swim and dive) take home this weeks honors.

Kentridge senior Sierra Wallace dribbles the ball against Woodinville. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kentridge girls soccer falls 4-0 in state

Chargers make round of eight for second time ever and run into Woodinville buzzsaw.

Senior running back Antoine Lee avoids a Trojan defender early in the game against Auburn. Ben Ray / The Reporter
4A NPSL all-league football teams announced

Kentwood’s Antoine Lee named Offensive Player of the Year.

Photo provided by Kent School District.
Kent Reporter Athletes of the Week: Kentridge

Addison Stendera and Riley Tricas take home this weeks awards.

Makenna Bennett in action against Tahoma back on Oct. 22 at Kentridge. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kentridge girls soccer advances to state

Chargers make state for second consecutive year, take on Wenatchee.

Provided by Kent School District
Kent Reporter Coach of the Month: Shawna Behrens

Behrens is in her 16th year of coaching and coaches three sports at Kentlake.

Zoey Sling wins a challenge against Tahoma late in the second half. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Soccer: Chargers draw level with Tahoma 1-1

Kentridge remains unbeaten and eyes league title with two games remaining.

Kentlake’s Lauren Tripp attempts to clear a ball inside the Kentlake defensive third. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kentlake girls soccer falls to Decatur 4-0

Falcons held scoreless for first time all season, but aim for postseason.

Senior linebacker Chuka Savini lead the Kentwood defense on a huge stand in the fourth quarter against Auburn. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Football: Kentwood outlasts Auburn in shootout 46-44

Antoine Lee records five touchdowns in the win for the Conks.

t
Former Kentwood High star Vandersloot wins 2nd WNBA championship

Courtney Vandersloot takes title with New York Liberty after winning crown in 2021 with Chicago Sky

Kentwood senior Aly Skagen with a tip over the net for the Conks. Ben Ray / The Reporter
Kentwood volleyball sweeps Stadium, moves into playoff position

Conks currently sit in fifth place in the NPSL.