Keegan Kolesar scored with just 20 seconds remaining in the third period to lift the Seattle Thunderbirds over the Kelowna Rockets in WHL playoff action Tuesday night at Prospera Place.
The Thunderbirds now lead the best-of-seven Western Conference championship two games to one.
After Calvin Thurkauf scored at 13:53 of the third period to tie the game 1-1, it looked like the game was headed for overtime.
But Kolesar乌鸦传媒檚 second of the night, a wrist shot from the right face-off circle, beat Michael Herringer at 19:40 for the game winner.
The Rockets controlled play much of the night, outshooting Seattle 35-14 but were stymied time and again by 17-year-old rookie goaltender Cal Stankowski.
On their seventh power play of the night, a 5-on-3, the Rockets finally broke through when Thurkauf batted a puck out of the air past Stankowksi for his seventh of the playoffs.
The play was reviewed for a possible high-stick by Thurkauf but, after a four-minute delay, the goal was allowed to stand.
NICK-knack, paddy-whack off the backboard, home. 乌鸦传媒檚 shot bounces to & tie it!
乌鸦传媒� #WHLPlayoffs (@TheWHL)
Still, in the end, Rockets head coach Jason Smith said club乌鸦传媒檚 effort wasn乌鸦传媒檛 good enough.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 frustrating,乌鸦传媒� Smith said. 乌鸦传媒淲e created opportunities around the net and didn乌鸦传媒檛 capitlize, but we乌鸦传媒檝e gotta be better at the end of those periods and the end of the game.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a little bit deflating, but we have to be bouncing back and ready to go for (Game 4).乌鸦传媒�
Game 4 is set for Wednesday night at Prospera Place. Face-off is 7:05 p.m.
Game 5 goes Friday night in Kent, Wash.
Rockets fall 2-1 in game 3. Game story here:
乌鸦传媒� Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets)
