Rockets return to Kelowna with 3-1 lead in playoff series against Portland Winterhawks

Rockets score 5 goals in second period of 7-2 victory over Winterhawks

For the second straight night in Portland, a WHL playoff game turned in the second period.

This time it swung in favour of the Kelowna Rockets.

The Rockets scored five goals in the middle frame on Wednesday to blow open a close game on their way to beating the Winterhawks 7-2. Kelowna leads the B.C. Division final 3-1 and can clinch the best-ofseven series and a spot in the Western Conference final with a win at home on Friday.

In Game 3 on Tuesday, Portland scored three goals in the second period of a 4-2 win. But Game 4 was all Kelowna. Carsen Twarynski opened the scoring 1:48 into the opening period with his third of the post-season.

In the second, Reid Gardiner collected his seventh and eighth goals — both on power plays — to give the Rockets a 3-0 lead.

After Cody Glass responded for the Winterhawks, Nick Merkley scored on a penalty shot and Calvin Thurkauf added a pair to make it 6-1 after 40 minutes.

The teams traded goals in the third period — Caleb Jones for the Winterhawks and Rodney Southam for the Rockets — to make the final 7-2.

Michael Herringer made 35 saves for Kelowna as the Rockets outshot the Winterhawks 40-37.

Much of the talk before the game surrounded who was not in the lineup.

Kelowna’s Cal Foote plus Alex Overhardt and Evan Weinger of Portland were suspended indefinitely for actions in Game 3. Eric Gardiner and Brayden Chizen of the Rockets plus Skyler McKenzie of the Winterhawks were out due to injuries.