The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-3 in overtime in Game 2 of the WHL Western Conference championship series Saturday night at the ShoWare Center.
The best-of-seven series, even at 1-1, shifts to Kelowna, British Columbia, for Game 3 at 7:05 p.m. Tuesday and Game 4 at 7:05 p.m. Wednesday.
Reid Gardiner scored at 5:04 overtime to get the Rockets the win. Calvin Thurkauf passed the puck to Gardiner alone in the left circle, delivering a high shot that beat Seattle goalie Carl Stankowski.
Stankowski was excellent in the third period with the Rockets pressing for a go-ahead goal. He stopped Dillon Dube on a clear chance from the slot, robbed Rodney Southam with a glove save on a backhand shot and made several sprawling saves on scrambles in front of his net. Stankowski finished with 28 saves on 32 shots and his playoff record is now 9-1.
The Rockets took a 1-0 lead at 12:52 on a goal from Nick Merkley. Thurkauf had the only assist.
Kelowna extended the lead to 2-0 with a shorthanded goal with one second left in the first. Thurkauf had the assist in the goal.
The T-Birds cut the Rockets lead to one at 3:12 of the second period on Ethan Bear’s power-play goal. Mathew Barzal passed the puck from the left boards to Scott Eansor in the left corner. Eansor came out of the corner and put a shot on goal that rebounded to the left of Kelowna goalie Michael Herringer. Bear pinched down from the right point and put the rebound past the goalie.
The Rockets took a 3-1 lead into the second intermission after Kole Lind scored a power-play goal at 19:34 of the second. Thurkauf and Dillon Dube had the assists.
The T-Birds outshot the Rockets 8-5 in the second period and led 20-14 in shots after two periods.
Seattle cut the Kelowna lead to one goal at 1:43 of the third period on a power-play goal by Keegan Kolesar. Bear had the puck at the right point and fed Donovan Neuls in the high slot. Neuls skated at Herringer and took a shot. Neuls’ shot deflected off a Kelowna defenseman to Kolesar low in the left circle. Kolesar snapped the puck past Herringer as the goalie tried to get over.
The T-Birds tied the game 3-3 at 9:06 of the third period on Neuls sixth goal of the playoffs. Mathew Barzal moved the puck up the ice to Kolesar who carried it into the Kelowna zone. Kolesar took a shot as Barzal skated hard toward Herringer. Kolesar’s shot rebounded off the goalie to Neuls in the left circle. Neuls put the rebound into the Kelowna net to tie the game.
Kelowna outshot Seattle 14-11 in the third period. The T-Birds had a 31-28 advantage in shots after three periods.
Herringer stopped 30 of 33 shots and his playoff record is now 9-4.
SERIES GLANCE
Western Conference Championship
Game 1 – At Seattle 5, Kelowna 4
Game 2 – Kelowna 4, Seattle, 3, OT
Game 3 – Seattle at Kelowna, Tuesday, April 25, 7:05 p.m
Game 4 – Seattle at Kelowna, Wednesday, April 26, 7:05 p.m
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 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 get an additional two free tickets plus $10 worth of Chuck-A-Pucks.
The group ticket special is available online and 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, Kelowna, Merkley 4 (Thurkauf), 12:52. 2, Kelowna, R. Gardiner 14 (Thurkauf), 19:59 (sh). Penalties – Lind, Kel (cross checking), 15:33. Dube, Kel (roughing), 18:44.
Second period – 3, Seattle, Bear 5 (Eansor, Barzal), 3:12 (pp). 4, Kelowna, Lind 5 (Thurkauf, Dube), 19:34 (pp). Penalties – Soustal, Kel (hooking), 1:37. Moilanen, Sea (hooking), 6:19. Ottenbreit, Sea (elbowing), 19:34. N. Foote, Kel (roughing), 19:34. Gropp, Sea (roughing), 19:34. Herringer, Kel (roughing-served by Topping), 19:46.
Third period – 5, Seattle, Kolesar 7 (Neuls, Bear), 1:43 (pp). 6, Seattle, Neuls 6 (Kolesar, Barzal), 9:06. Penalties – Gropp, Sea (high-sticking), 3:31. Merkley, Kel (roughing), 9:27. Eansor, Sea (cross checking), 11:03. Moilanen, Sea (double minor-high sticking), 14:54. Merkley, Kel (goaltender interference), 16:38.
Overtime – 7, Kelowna, R. Gardiner 15 (Thurkauf), 5:04. Penalties – No penalties.
Shots on goal – Seattle 12-8-11-2 33, Kelowna 9-5-14-4 32. Goalies – Seattle, Stankowski 32 shots-28 saves (9-1); Kelowna, Herringer 33-30 (9-4). Power plays – Seattle 2-5; Kelowna 1-6. A – 5,050. Referees – Steve Papp, Regan Vetter. Linesmen – Nick Bilko, Ron Dietterle.
