For the second consecutive year, the Kelowna Rockets have drawn the Seattle Thunderbirds in the first round of the WHL Playoffs.
The Rockets go into the playoffs as the underdog as they finished eighth in the Western Conference with a record of 27-37-4-0 while Seattle finished in first at 54-11-1-2. Kelowna finished with a goal differential of -46 as they scored 210 goals and allowed 256 while Seattle’s was +145 (300 goals for, 155 against).
During the regular season, the Thunderbirds swept the season series 4-0, with the last matchup happening on New Year’s Eve.
This will be the fourth time in the last seven seasons these two teams have met in the playoffs, with Seattle winning each matchup. Last year, Seattle took the series 4-1.
Firing on all Cylinders
Looking at the numbers and statistics, it’s fair to say the Rockets will need everyone up and down the line up playing at their absolute best, including their big guns like forwards Andrew Cristall and captain Gabriel Szturc and defenceman Caden Price.
Cristall finished sixth in WHL scoring this season with 95 points (39 goals, 56 assists) in 54 games. He is a projected first-round draft pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
The Former Captain
Back in early January, a few days ahead of the WHL Trade Deadline, the Rockets traded their then-captain Colton Dach to Seattle. Now almost three months later, they’ll play him in the first round.
When he was traded, Dach was recovering from an upper-body injury sustained at the 2023 World Junior Hockey Championships. Since making to T-Bird debut in late February, Dach has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in nine games.
In return, the Rockets got draft picks as well as forward Ty Hurley and defenceman Ethan Mittelsteadt, who have combined for nine points.
Lake Country Connection
The Seattle Thunderbirds also have a famous Lake Country connection as Tij Iginla is part of their forward group. He scored six goals and added 12 assists in 42 games this season.
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The first round schedule is as follows:
Game 1 - March 31, 2023 Kelowna @ Seattle 7:05 p.m. PT (Pacific time)
Game 2 - April 1, 2023 Kelowna @ Seattle 6:05 p.m. PT
Game 3 - April 4, 2023 Seattle @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m. PT
Game 4 - April 5, 2023 Seattle @ Kelowna 7:05 p.m. PT
Game 5 -April 7, 2023 Kelowna @ Seattle 7:05 p.m. PT *if necessary
Game 6 - April 9, 2023 Seattle @ Kelowna 4:05 p.m. PT *
Game 7 - April 11, 2023 Kelowna @ Seattle 7:05 p.m. PT *
Tickets are on sale for games three and four at Prospera Place in Kelowna.
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