Thunderbirds come back from 3-1 to oust Winterhawks
The Seattle Thunderbirds were all but written off after losing three of the first four games in their Western Hockey League playoff series against the Portland Winterhawks.
Needing to win three straight, including two on the road, seemed to be a big ask against a team that compiled 47 wins and 99 points during the regular season.
But, thanks to a 5-3 victory Tuesday night at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland, the Thunderbirds are moving on to the Western Conference final against the Kamloops Blazers.
Jeremy Hanzel scored twice for the T-Birds, with singles added by Nico Myatovic, Lucas Ciona, Lukas Svejkovsky and Reid Schaefer.
Robbie Fromm-Delorme had two goals for the Winterhawks, who outshot the visitors 36-29. Jaydon Dureau had the other Portland goal.
The Edmonton Oil Kings travel to Winnipeg to play the Ice on Friday in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference final.
The Blazers and Thunderbirds also open on Friday in Kamloops. Game 2 is Saturday in Kamloops. Games 3 and 4 will be Tuesday and Wednesday in Kent, Wash.
The Blazers (48-17-3-0) won their third consecutive B.C. Division crown, while Seattle (44-184-2) finished six points behind the U.S. Division champion Everett Silvertips.
The Blazers advanced by sweeping the Spokane Chiefs in four games before getting past the Vancouver Giants in six games. The Thunderbirds took care of the Kelowna Rockets in five games before dispatching the Winterhawks in seven.
This will be the Blazer’s first trip to the WHL Western Conference championship since 2013. The Thunderbirds return to the Western Conference championship for the first time since consecutive appearances in 2016 and 2017.
The Blazers and Thunderbirds met three times during the 2021-22 regular season, with Kamloops winning two and Seattle one.
The Ice and Oil Kings met four times with Edmonton winning three games.
This is the Ice’s first appearance in the Eastern Conference championship since the team moved from Cranbrook in 2019-20 . The Oil Kings have made five conference championship appearances since 2012.