Rockets, Thunderbirds test each other out in Game 1

Bad break, penalty proves costly for Kelowna in 5-4 loss

The Seattle Thunderbirds are still unbeaten in these WHL playoffs — thanks again to their potent power play.

The Kelowna Rockets were as disciplined as possible, but an unfortunate penalty — one of those delay of game, puck-over-the-glass infractions — sealed their fate in a 5-4 defeat to start the Western Conference final in Kent, Wash., on Friday night.

Dillon Dube’s clearing attempt ended up in the stands with exactly two minutes remaining in regulation, and the Thunderbirds’ power play — clicking at a league-best 37.9 per cent through two rounds — went to work for just the second time in the series opener.

With overtime looming, Seattle’s standout defenceman Ethan Bear sailed a shot over the shoulder of Kelowna goaltender Michael Herringer for the winning goal with only 11.2 seconds left on the clock.

It was a tough pill to swallow for the Rockets, who stayed out of the penalty box aside from that bad break and a holding call on Calvin Thurkauf in the first period.

The Rockets had been winning the specialteams battle, scoring three of their four goals in man-advantage situations.

Tied 1-1 and 2-2 at the intermissions, Kelowna was the better team through two periods in outshooting Seattle 25-15 after 40 minutes and 33-25 overall.

A rematch of last year’s West final — when Seattle swept Kelowna in four straight games — the Rockets overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period after previously scoring late in the first and early in the second.

Kelowna matched Seattle’s firepower, with Kole Lind, Tomas Soustal and Thurkauf scoring on power plays, while Reid Gardiner netted his league-leading 13th goal of the playoffs at even strength. Gardiner also had two assists for a three-point performance and now sits alone atop the post-season scoring race with 25 points in 12 games.

It wasn’t enough, though, as the T-Birds got goals from Ryan Gropp, Alexander True, Turner Ottenbreit and Sami Moilanen in addition to Bear’s late tally. Seattle’s top line, with Mathew Barzal centering Gropp and Keegan Kolesar, contributed to two goals — by Gropp and Ottenbreit, a stay-at-home defenceman who jumped into the rush to score his first of the playoffs for a 3-2 lead in the first minute of the third period.

Seattle’s rookie goaltender Carl Stankowski also extended his perfect record, improving to 9-0 by stopping 29 shots. Seattle swept TriCity and Everett in the opening two rounds.

Herringer made 20 saves for the Rockets, who eliminated Kamloops in six games before knocking out Portland in five.

ICE CHIPS: Rockets LW Carsen Twarynski returned to the lineup after serving a one-game suspension, and LW Erik Gardiner returned from an undisclosed upper-body injury.