The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-2 in Game 4 of the Western Conference Championship series Wednesday night at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia.
The series, tied 2-2, shifts to Kent ice for Game 5 Friday night. Face-off is 7:35 p.m. at the ShoWare Center.
Seattle took a 1-0 lead at 3:09 of the first period on a power-play goal from Ryan Gropp. Austin Strand passed the puck from the right point to Mathew Barzal in the right corner. Barzal tried to pass the puck to Alexander True in front of Kelowna goalie Michael Herringer. The pass got knocked down and Barzal got it in the high slot. Barzal backhanded the puck to Ryan Gropp at the left point. Gropp took two strides towards the Kelowna net and took a hard wrist shot with True screening Herringer. Gropp’s shot hit the right post and then the back of the net.
Kelowna tied the game 1-1 at 8:34 on a power-play goal by Nolan Foote. Nick Merkley and Lucas Johansen had the assists.
The Rockets took a 2-1 lead at 9:02 of the first on a breakaway goal from Kole Lind. Tomas Soustal and Dillon Dube had the assists.
Merkley scored at 2:40 of the second period to put the Rockets in front 3-1. Calvin Thurkauf and Nolan Foote had the assists.
Kelowna outshot Seattle 15-2 in the second period and led 28-16 in shots after two periods.
Soustal scored at 4:29 of the third period put the Rockets in front 4-1. Lind and Dube had the assists.
The T-Birds cut the Rockets lead to 4-2 at 10:53 of third on a goal from Scott Eansor. Sami Moilanen won a battle for the puck along the left boards and skated towards Herringer. Moilanen passed the puck to Eansor in the low slot and he one-timed the pass past Herringer.
The T-Birds outshot the Rockets 13-7 in the third period. The Rockets finished with a 35-29 advantage in shots.
Seattle goalie Carl Stankowski kept the T-Birds in the game with several spectacular saves in the second period. He finished with 31 saves and his playoff record is now 10-2.
Herringer had 27 saves and his playoff record is now 10-5.
SERIES GLANCE
Western Conference Championship
Game 1 – At Seattle 5, Kelowna 4
Game 2 – Kelowna 4, at Seattle 3, OT
Game 3 – Seattle 2, at Kelowna 1
Game 4 – At Kelowna 4, Seattle 2
Game 5 – Kelowna at Seattle, Friday, April 28, 7:35 p.m.
Game 6 – Seattle at Kelowna, Sunday, April 30, 5:05 p.m.
Game 7 – Kelowna at Seattle, Tuesday, May 2, 7:05 p.m.*
* if necessary
Tickets
Single-game tickets for Game 5 are now on sale online on the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The box office is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For Game 5 fans can purchase 10 tickets at $22 each for $220 and thet an additional two free tickets plus $10 worth of Chuck-A-Pucks. The ticket special is available by contacting the T-Birds at 253-239-PUCK (7825). The special is not available on game day. They are advance purchase only.
SCORING SUMMARY
First period – 1, Seattle, Gropp 3 (Barzal, Strand), 3:09 (pp). 2, Kelowna, N. Foote 1 (Merkley, Johansen), 8:34 (pp). 3, Kelowna, Lind 6 (Soustal, Dube), 9:02. Penalties – Merkley, Kel (roughing), 2:31. Eansor, Sea (hooking), 7:42. Hilsendager, Kel (roughing), 7:42. Kolesar, Sea (roughing), 7:42. True, Sea (roughing), 19:33. Merkley, Kel (roughing), 19:33. Ottenbreit, Sea (cross checking), 19:48. R. Gardiner, Kel (embellishment), 19:48.
Second period – 4, Kelowna, Merkley 5 (Thurkauf, N. Foote), 2:40. Penalties – Kolesar, Sea (roughing), 3:33. Adams, Sea (goaltender interference), 7:29. Soustal, Kel (high-sticking), 11:22. Strand, Sea (hooking), 18:00. N. Foote, Kel (tripping), 19:34.
Third period – 5, Kelowna, Soustal 4 (Lind, Dube), 4:29. 6, Seattle, Eansor 4 (Moilanen), 10:54. Penalties – Strand, Sea (high-sticking), 17:28.
Shots on goal – Seattle 14-2-13 29, Kelowna 13-15-7 35. Goalies – Seattle, Stankowski 35 shots-31 saves (10-2); Kelowna, Herringer 29-27 (10-5).
Power plays – Seattle 1-3; Kelowna 1-5. A – 5,063. Referees – Mike Langin, Derek Zalaski. Linesmen – Michael McGowan, Nathan Van Oosten.
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