WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

T-Birds Advance To Second Round With Game Seven Win

Published on April 2, 2008 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


Seattle, April 1, 2008 - Seattle Thunderbirds goalie Riku Helenius made 31 saves in front a raucous 3,077 at KeyArena Tuesday night to lead the Thunderbirds to a 4-2 victory over the Kelowna Rockets in Game 7 of their first round playoff series.

With the win the T-Birds advance to the face the Tri- City Americans in the second round of the playoffs starting Friday in Kennewick at the Toyota Center.

Second Round Schedule

Game 1 - Friday, April 4, at Tri-City at Toyota Center, 7:05 p.m.

Game 2 - Saturday, April 5, at Tri-City at Toyota Center, 7:05 p.m.

Game 3 - Tuesday, April 8, vs. Tri-City at KeyArena, 7:05 p.m.

Game 4 - Wednesday, April 9, vs. Tri-City at KeyArena, 7:05 p.m.

Game 5 - Friday, April 11, at Tri-City at Toyota Center, 7:05 p.m.*

Game 6 - Saturday, April 12, vs. Tri-City at KeyArena, 7:05 p.m.*

Game 7 - Tuesday, April 15, at Tri-City at Toyota Center, 7:05 p.m.*

* if neccessary

Second round playoff tickets go on sale on Wednesday, April 2, at noon. Playoff tickets can be purchased at all TicketMaster outlets, online at www.seattlethunderbirds.com, at the KeyArena Box Office and at The Hockey Store located at 14326 124th Ave NE in Kirkland. Second round playoff tickets may also be purchased by calling TicketMaster at 206-628- 0888 or the T-Birds at 206-448-PUCK (7825). Second round playoff tickets are $24, $20 and $16.

Helenius made 11 saves in the first period, 12 in the second period and eight in the third period to get his third win of the playoffs.

Seattle took a 1- 0 lead at 8:06 of the first period on a goal by Bud Holloway.

Lindsay Nielsen fed the puck from the Seattle blue line to Holloway streaking up the right side. Holloway carried the puck into the Kelowna zone, faked a slap shot at the right face off dot and then centered the puck to Greg Scott coming down the slot. Scott was tied up by a Kelowna defender but got a shot on goal. The rebound went to the left of Kelowna goalie Kristopher Westblom. Holloway put the rebound over Westblom for his fourth goal of the playoffs.

The T-Birds took a 2-0 lead on a goal by Ian McKenzie at 19:30 of the first period.

Thomas Hickey held the puck in at the right point. He sent the puck down the boards to Jan Eberle. Eberle held the puck momentarily and then made a crisp cross-ice pass to McKenzie. McKenzie one-timed Eberle's pass and beat Westblom low his fourth goal of the playoffs.

Brady Leavold scored at 19:54 to get the Rockets on the board. Jamie Benn and Tysen Dowzak had the assists.

Kelowna (3-4) outshot Seattle 12-10 in the first period.

Lindsay Nielsen put the T-Birds in front 3-1 at 2:31 of the second period when he scored a shorthanded goal.

Holloway stole the puck from a Kelowna forward at the red line along the right boards. Holloway brought the puck into the Rockets zone on a two-on-one with Nielsen coming down the slot. Holloway crossed the puck to Nielsen but a Rockets defenseman knocked the puck into the air. Nielsen, a left handed shot, adjusted to the airborne puck and backhanded the puck before it hit the ground past Westblom high on the stick side.

The Rockets led in shots on goal 24-15 going into the second intermission after outshooting the T-Birds 12- 5 in the second period.

Benn scored at 17:35 of the third period to cut the T- Birds lead to one goal. Colin Long had the only assist on the goal.

Greg Scott iced the game for the T-Birds when he scored an empty-net goal at 19:32 of the third.

Scott Jackson had an assist on Scott's fourth goal of the playoffs.

Kelowna outshot Seattle 9-5 in the third period and 33- 20 in the game.

Westblom stopped 16 of 19 shots and he finished the playoffs with a 3-4 record.

First Round Schedule

Game 1 - Kelowna 3, at Seattle 2

Game 2 - Kelowna 3, at Seattle 1

Game 3 - Seattle 3, at Kelowna 2, OT

Game 4 - Seattle 6, at Kelowna 4

Game 5 - At Seattle 6, Kelowna 2

Game 6 - At Kelowna 4, Seattle 3, OT

Game 7 - At Seattle 4, Kelowna 2

Check out the Seattle Thunderbirds Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 2, 2008


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