Rockets drop T-Birds in OT, force Game 7 | WHL playoffs

Published 11:15 am Wednesday, April 3, 2013

It all comes down to one game for the Seattle Thunderbirds and Kelowna Rockets in their first-round WHL playoff series.

Myles Bell scored the game-winning goal at 10:39 of overtime Tuesday night at the ShoWare Center to give the Rockets a 4-3 win and tie the series 3-3.

Game 7 is 7:05 tonight at Prospera Place in British Columbia.

Kelowna took a 1-0 lead 22 seconds into the game when Cody Fowlie scored. Tyson Baillie and Dylan McKinlay had the assists.

Seattle came right back and tied the game 1-1 at 2:40 of the first period on an unassisted goal from Connor Sanvido. Sanvido got to a loose puck along the right boards and headed towards Kelowna goalie Jordon Cooke. Sanvido beat Cooke over the glove for his first goal of the playoffs.

The T-Birds went in front 2-1 at 8:33 of the first. Justin Hickman moved the puck into the Kelowna zone on the left side and then passed to Riley Sheen in the left circle. Sheen took a shot that Cooke stopped but Adam Kambeitz got the rebound. Kambeitz beat a sprawling Cooke for the go-ahead goal.

Luke Lockhart put the T-Birds in front, 3-1, 50 seconds after their second goal. Roberts Lipsbergs made a big hit in the left corner to free the puck from a Kelowna defenseman. Lipsbergs carried the puck around the net and centered to Lockhart coming into the slot. Lockhart beat Cooke high for the goal.

The Rockets cut the T-Birds to one goal at 14:56 of the first when Tyrell Goulbourne scored. Damon Severson and Nick Merkley were credited with the assists.

Kelowna tied the game 3-3 at 16:20 of the first on Fowlie’s second goal of the game. Baillie and Madison Bowey had the assists.

Kelowna outshot Seattle 20-11 in the first period.

The Rockets led in shots 43-21 after two periods by outshooting the T-Birds 23-10 in the second period.

The T-Birds killed off a five-minute major penalty to Justin Hickman for the last 3:35 of the second period and first 1:25 of the third period.

The T-Birds outshot the Rockets 15-12 in the third period. The Rockets had a 55-36 advantage in shots after 60 minutes of play.

The T-Birds outshot the Rockets 7-4 in overtime.

Seattle goalie Brandon Glover stopped 55 of 59 shots and his record in the playoffs is 3-3.

Cooke made 40 saves on 43 shots and his record is now 3-3 in the playoffs.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Kelowna, Fowlie 2 (Baillie, McKinlay), :22. 2, Seattle, Sanvido 1, 2:40. 3, Seattle, Kambeitz 1 (Hickman, Sheen), 8:33. 4, Seattle, Lockhart 3 (Lipsbergs), 9:23. 5, Kelowna, Goulbourne 1 (Severson, Merkley), 14:56. 6, Kelowna, Fowlie 3 (BaIlie, Bowey), 16:20. Penalties – No penalties.

Second period – No scoring. Penalties – Hickman, Sea (major-checking to the head, game misconduct), 16:25.

Third period – No scoring. Penalties – Olsen, Kel (slashing), 5:25. Bell, Kel (boarding), 10:30.

Overtime – 7, Kelowna, Bell 4 (Martin, Severson), 10:39. Penalties – No penalties.

Shots on goal – Seattle 11-10-15-7 43, Kelowna 20-23-12-4 59. Goalies – Seattle, Glover 59 shots-55 saves (3-3); Kelowna, Cooke 43-40 (3-3). Power plays – Seattle 0-2; Kelowna 0-1. A – 4,344. Referees –