T-Birds trounce ‘Tips, advance to second round | WHL playoffs

For the Reporter

Branden Troock scored twice during a four-goal third-period flurry as the Seattle Thunderbirds defeated the Everett Silvertips 5-0 at the ShoWare Center on Saturday night, capturing the first-round best-of seven Western Hockey League playoff series, 4 games to 1.

The T-Birds advance to the Western Conference semifinal playoffs series against top-seeded Kelowna, with Games 1 and 2 set for Thursday and Saturday on Rockets’ home ice in British Columbia. Face-off is 7:05 p.m. both games.

The series shifts to Kent on Tuesday, April 8 and Wednesday, April 9. Order tickets online or at the ShoWare Center box office.

The second-round series is a rematch of their first-round playoff series last season, which the Rockets won in seven games, 4-3.

In Saturday night’s series-clinching win, Taran Kozun stopped all 24 shots he faced, getting the win. Austin Lotz stopped 26 of 31 and took the loss.

Seattle broke through and got the opening goal at 12:59 of the second period. Scott Eansor tied up the puck off the faceoff. Jaimen Yakubowski poked the puck loose from the scrum and Sam McKechnie collected it from there, getting a shot on goal.

The puck popped loose from Lotz’s pads and Eansor shot it into the back of the net with a backhand shot, making it 1-0. McKechnie and Yakubowski had the assists on Eansor’s third goal of the playoffs.

“A lot of checking lines have big impacts on series … they get underneath the skin and next thing you know they put one in so I’m not surprised,” said T-Birds coach Steve Konowalchuk about his defensive forwards’ offensive success.

The first penalty of the game came with two minutes to play in the second period. The high-sticking call left Seattle shorthanded for the rest of the period. The T-Birds killed off the penalty with aplomb, however, and went to the locker room with the lead.

“Everyone bought in today,” said Eansor, a 17-year-old center who was matched up against Everett’s top line. Eansor credited the T-Birds’ mental toughness with preventing penalties, saying that “we want to play a smart hockey game and keep cool in [playoff] situations.”

Almost immediately in the third period, the T-Birds got their second goal of the night. Much like its first goal, Seattle scored this one just off the faceoff. Troock had the goal, beating Lotz from with a backhand shot from the right circle. Roberts Lipsbergs had the only assist on the goal coming at 1:19.

Alexander Delnov extended Seattle’s lead at 4:51. Delnov took the puck to the top of the right faceoff dot on the rush. His shot went through an Everett defenseman’s legs before skimming through Lotz’s five-hole. Keegan Kolesar and Mitch Elliot had the assists.

Troock added his second goal of the night at 7:02 on a 2-on-1 break. Russell Maxwell started the break, getting the puck in the neutral zone with no one in front of him. After Maxwell whiffed on a shot, the center passed to Troock, who has planted at the side of the crease. Troock knocked it home and collected his fourth goal of the postseason, with Maxwell getting the only assist.

“Maxwell made a really nice pass and I just had to tap it into the empty net,” Troock said.

Seattle got its first power play of the game at 9:51 of the third period after a cross-checking call. The home team had its chances, including an opportunity in front of the net that left Lotz lying on the ice, but couldn’t extend their 4-0 lead.

A second power play came for the T-Birds at 13:54, allowing them to pin Everett deep for two minutes and protect the four-goal lead. Seattle didn’t create any offense during this advantage, ending without a shot on goal, but took valuable time off the clock.

Elliot added the first playoff goal of his career at 17:57. The 20-year-old beat a defenseman on the rush and flipped a backhand shot past Lotz. Ethan Bear had the assist on the goal.

“Mitch has battled hard for five years and he was great tonight,” said Hickman about Elliot’s contributions in the series.

SCORING SUMMARY

First period – No scoring. Penalties – No penalties.

Second period – 1, Seattle, Eansor 3 (McKechnie, Yakubowski), 12:59.Penalties – Hauf, Seattle (high-sticking), 18:00.

Third period – 2, Seattle, Troock 3 (Lipsbergs), 1:19. 3, Seattle, Delnov 1 (Kolesar, Elliot), 4:51. 4, Seattle, Troock 4 (Maxwell), 7:02. 5, Seattle, Elliot 1 (Bear), 17:57. Penalties – Pufahl, Everett (cross-checking), 9:51. Leedahl, Everett (cross-checking), 13:54.

Shots on goal – Seattle 10-9-12 31, Everett 11-5-8 24. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 24 shots-24 saves (4-1); Everett, Lotz 31-26 (1-4). Power plays -Seattle 0-2; Everett 0-1. A – 3,526. Referees – Nathan Wieler, Derek Zalaski.Linesmen – Ron Dietterle, Ryan Gibbons.