Kelowna Rockets double up on visiting Thunderbirds in WHL playoffs

KELOWNA – The Kelowna Rockets defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-2 on Wednesday night, April 26, at Prospera Place in game four of the Western Conference Championship of the 2017 WHL Playoffs.

The Thunderbirds opened the scoring 3:09 into the opening period as Ryan Gropp (3) scored on a Seattle power play. The Rockets responded at 8:34 as Nolan Foote scored a power play goal of his own for his first career WHL Playoff goal. Then just 28 seconds later Kole Lind(6) took off on a breakaway and ripped home a snap shot to pull the Rockets ahead by one. Kelowna took a 2-1 lead into the second period.

At 2:40 into the middle frame Nick Merkley(5) made it 3-1 Rockets and Kelowna had all the momentum. After being outshot 14-13 in the first period, the Rockets were leading 28-16 in shots after the second to go along with their 3-1 lead on the scoreboard.

Just under four and a half minutes into the third period Tomas Soustal(4) danced around a T-Birds d-man before bouncing the puck off the stick of a Seattle player and in to give the Rockets a 4-1 lead. At 10:54 Scott Eansor cut the Rockets lead in half with his fourth of the playoffs but that would be it for Seattle as the Rockets take game four 4-2.

Michael Herringer stopped 27 of the 29 shots he faced as the Rockets outshot the T-Birds 35-29.

Kelowna was led by Nick Merkley (1G, 1A), Tomas Soustal(1G, 1A), Kole Lind (1G, 1A), Nolan Foote (1G, 1A), and Dillon Dube (2A) who all enjoyed two point nights.

Kelowna evens the best-of-seven series at 2-2.

Kelowna and Seattle continue the series on Friday for game five in Kent, Washington at the ShoWare Center. Puck drop is 7:35pm.

The series then shifts back to Kelowna for game six on Sunday, April 30 at 5:05pm.

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