WHL Seattle Thunderbirds

Rockets Shoot Down T-Birds

Published on March 7, 2020 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Seattle Thunderbirds News Release


KELOWNA, BC - The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-0 Friday night at Prospera Place.

The T-Birds have a home-and-home series against the Everett Silvertips on Saturday and Sunday. Seattle travels to Angel of the Winds Arena on Saturday for a 7:05pm game. The two teams are accesso ShoWare Center at 5:05pm on Sunday. Single game tickets are on sale online on the T-Birds website and at the accesso ShoWare Center box office.

The T-Birds now have a 23-31-4-3 record (53 points) and are in the second Wild Card playoff spot in the Western Conference. The T-Birds are nine points behind the Kelowna Rockets, who have a 28-27-3-3 record (60 points), for the first Wild Card playoff spot.

The T-Birds magic number to clinch a tie for a Wild Card playoff spot is seven points. The T-Birds, at 53 points, are seven points ahead of the Prince George Cougars who have a 19-34-4-4 record (46 points) with seven games remaining, meaning the Cougars can get at the most 60 points. Any combination of the T-Birds earning points and the Cougars losing points equaling seven puts the T-Birds in the playoffs. The T-Birds are 13 points ahead of the Tri-City Americans who have a 17-38-4-2 record (40 points) with seven games remaining, meaning the Americans can at the most get 54 points.

Kelowna took a 1-0 lead on a goal from Matthew Wedman at 4:34 of the first period.

The Rockets went in front 2-0 at 14:06 of the first on a goal from Ethan Ernst.

Kelowna made it 3-0 at 6:09 of the second period on a five-on-three power-play goal by Pavel Novak. Devin Steffler scored at 12:56 and Alex Swetlikoff scored at 14:18 to make it a 5-0 Rockets lead.

Novak scored a second goal, at 5:34 of the third period, to get the Rockets sixth goal.

The T-Birds are now taking orders for Flex-24 Ticket packages. Fans that purchase the 24-Flex Ticket Package will be able to select any available premium seat for any game, in any ticket combination, during the 2019-20 season.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period - 1, Kelowna, Wedman 20 (Peterek), 4:34. 2, Kelowna, Ernst 5 (McDonald, Liwiski), 14:06. Penalties - Ernst, Kel (tripping), 9:10. Carmichael, Kel (kneeing), 15:57.

Second period - 3, Kelowna, Novak 23 (McDonald, Topping), 6:09 (pp). 4, Kelowna, Steffler 1 (Novak, Topping), 12:56. 5, Kelowna, Swetlokoff 13 (Korczak, Peterek), 14:18. Penalties - Bruggen-Cate, Sea (hooking), 4:27. Uchacz, Sea (cross checking), 5:18. McNelly, Sea (delay of game), 7:01.

Third period - 6, Kelowna, Novak 24 (Topping, Korczak), 5:34. Penalties - Kubicek, Sea (roughing), 6:25. McDonald, Kel (roughing), 6:25. Sanders, Sea (tripping), 11:17. McNelly, Sea (charging, major-fighting), 14:59. Carmichael, Kel (unsportsmanlike conduct, major-fighting), 14:59.

Shots on goal - Seattle 5-3-11 19, Kelowna 6-8-8 22. Goalies - Seattle, Ross 14 shots-9 saves (19-20-4-3), Lyda 8-7; Kelowna, Basran 19-19 (21-16-3-3). Power plays - Seattle 0-2; Kelowna 1-4. Referees - Bryan Bourdon, Kyle Kowalski. Linesmen - Josh Albinati, Cody Wanner.

Check out the Seattle Thunderbirds Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 7, 2020


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