Thunderbirds capture second straight Western Conference title, will play Regina for WHL crown

April 30, 2017 9:10 am
The Thunderbirds’ Mathew Barzal (13) and Scott Eansor (8) join Richard Doerksen, vice president of hockey for the WHL, at center ice with the Western Conference Championship Cup Sunday at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia. COURTEST PHOTO, Marissa Baecker/Shoot the Breeze

The Seattle Thunderbirds won their second consecutive Western Conference championship Sunday with a 3-1 Game 6 victory over the Kelowna Rockets at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia.

The T-Birds, who took the best-of-seven series 4-2, will face the Regina Pats for the WHL championship. The Pats defeated the Lethbridge Hurricanes 7-4 Sunday to win their Eastern Conference Championship series 4-2.

Game 1 of the WHL Finals is 6 p.m. Friday, May 5, in Regina, Saskatchewan. Game 2 is 6 p.m. Saturday, May 6, also in Regina.

The series switches to the ShoWare Center for Games 3 and 4. Game 3 is a Directors Mortgage 2-for-Tuesday game at 7:05 p.m. May 9. Game 4 is a Whiteout Wednesday game at 7:05 p.m. on May 10.

Single-game tickets for Games 3 and 4 go on sale at 10 a.m. Tuesday online and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center box office is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

SERIES GLANCE

WHL championship, best-of-seven

Regina vs. Seattle

Game 1 – Seattle at Regina, Friday, May 5, 6 p.m.

Game 2 – Seattle at Regina, Saturday, May 6, 6 p.m.

Game 3 – Regina at Seattle, Tuesday, May 9, 7:05 p.m.

Game 4 – Regina at Seattle, Wednesday, May 10, 7:05 p.m.

Game 5 – Regina at Seattle, Friday, May 12, 7:35 p.m.*

Game 6 – Seattle at Regina, Sunday, May 14, 5 p.m.*

Game 7 – Seattle at Regina, Monday, May 15, 6 p.m.*

* if necessary