The Portland Winterhawks got off to a good start in Friday’s Game 1 of the Western Hockey League Western Conference finals.
But the Kelowna Rockets had the better finish to claim a 3-2 victory in the series opener in front of 5,871 fans Prospera Place in Kelowna, B.C.
Three second-period goals were the difference as the Rockets took advantage of two Portland turnovers and one transition chance in a game that was more wide open than the five goals indicate.
Game 2 is at 7:05 p.m. Saturday at Kelowna before the series shifts to Portland for games on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Moda Center.
Madison Bowey, Justin Kirkland and Rourke Chartier scored to lift the Rockets on a night when goalies Adin Hill of Portland and Jackson Whistle of Kelowna each played well. Oliver Bjorkstrand and Adam Henry scored for Portland.
The Rockets scored three times in the second period to gain the lead, including goals 46 seconds apart to erase a 2-0 Winterhawks lead.
Kelowna’s first goal came short-handed as an interception at center ice led to a Bowey goal 1:38 into the period. The second Rockets’ goal came after Portland failed to clear its defensive zone. A pass by Leon Draisaitl set up Kirkland, who made a nice move across the crease and hit the open net.
Portland responded well and created several chances to regain the lead before Kelowna claimed the advantage.
Kelowna’s go-ahead goal came in transition as Tyson Baillie flipped a puck from his own blueline that created a breakaway for Chartier. Chartier’s shot hit the crossbar and then went in off the back of Hill 15:56 into the second period.
From there Kelowna played responsible hockey, clogging the middle of the ice and taking away chances for Portland go gain speed through the neutral zone. In the third period, the Winterhawks were outshot 18-7 as the Rockets did well to keep the puck in the attacking zone without taking unnecessary chances.
After struggling for goals early in the Winterhawks first two playoff series, Bjorkstrand needed only 35 seconds to score on Whistle. Keegan Iverson won a possession battle in neutral territory and pushed the puck ahead. Bjorkstrand used his speed to get space and whipped a shot from the right circle past the goalie.
Henry made it 2-0 18 minutes into the first period with the teams playing four on four.
In an end-to-end first period Kelowna created a number of dangerous chances, but Hill made a couple of tough stops and the Rockets missed a couple of open goals. Hill finished with 43 saves in a solid performance.
After a rough start, Whistle stopped 30 of the final 31 shots he faced and was helped by solid positional play in front of him as the Winterhawks seldom created traffic in front of the Kelowna goalie.
With a power play to open the second period, the Winterhawks could have seized control of the game. Instead a turnover at center ice proved pivotal in the outcome.
NOTES — The Winterhawks have now lost Game 1 in each of their three playoff series. Kelowna also won Game 1 of last season’s conference finals, but Portland won the next four games to claim that series.
