Kelowna Rockets (3) at Tri-City Americans (5)

Tri-City wins series 4-0

The Tri-City Americans are off to the second round of the 2018 WHL Playoffs.

Morgan Geekie (Carolina Hurricanes) had another multi-goal effort as he capped off a dominant series sweep of the Kelowna Rockets with a hat trick in a 5-3 victory Thursday in Kennewick, Wash. Nolan Yaremko added a goal and three points and Patrick Dea stopped 25 of 28 shots in the series-clinching victory.

The game was a back-and-forth affair until the dying moments as the Rockets had an answer for each goal by the Americans for the majority of the game.

Jordan Topping opened the scoring with the only goal of the first late, but Dillon Dube (Calgary Flames) got the Rockets on the board 4:38 into the middle period. Geekie’s first of the game late in the second made it a 2-1 contest, but 2018 NHL Draft prospect Kyle Topping tied the game up again with his second of the series early in the third.

Nolan Yaremko put the Ams ahead for the third time in the game 10:03 into the third, but the Rockets had an answer from the stick of Dube 41 seconds later for his second of the night.

That’d be all for the Rockets though as the Americans electrified the crowd at the Toyota Centre with goals from Geekie 17 seconds apart in the final minute to secure the victory and advance to the second round.

Rookie James Porter faced a barrage of shots, stopping 36 of the 41 sent his way as he ultimately took the loss.

Americans captain Michael Rasmussen (Detroit Red Wings) and Isaac Johnson each added a pair of assists in the victory. Kole Lind (Vancouver Canucks) added a pair of assists in the loss.

Portland Winterhawks (4) at Spokane Chiefs (3)

Portland leads series 3-1

Game 5: Saturday, March 31 – Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Ore. – 6:00 p.m. PT

Joachim Blichfeld (San Jose Sharks) was on another level Thursday as the Portland Winterhawks moved within a game of winning their first round series in the 2018 WHL Playoffs.

Blichfeld tied a WHL Playoffs record for the fastest two goals, scoring seven seconds apart in the third period to turn a 3-2 deficit to the Spokane Chiefs into a 4-3 victory for the Winterhawks.

It was the Chiefs who started strong in Game Four as Hudson Elynuik (Carolina Hurricanes) and Eli Zummack tallied first period goals to outshine Alex Overhardt’s second of the post-season that got the Winterhawks on the board.

Skyler McKenzie (Winnipeg Jets) added his first of the playoffs 2:30 into the third after a scoreless second period, but the Chiefs would respond with a goal from Jaret Anderson-Dolan (Los Angeles Kings) to regain the one-goal advantage.

Blichfeld took matters of regaining the lead into his own hands late in the third, scoring off a face-off in the Chiefs’ end and then securing a breakaway right off the ensuing face-off at centre ice.

Blichfeld ultimately finished with three points, adding an assist, while Winterhawks captain Keoni Texeira had a pair of helpers in the one-goal victory.

Anderson-Dolan added two assists to his goal for the three-point game while 2018 NHL Draft prospect Ty Smith added a pair of helpers in the loss.

Cole Kehler (Los Angeles Kings) played strong again, stopping 25 of 28 shots in the victory. Dawson Weatherill stopped 20 of 24 in the loss for the Chiefs.

Victoria Royals (7) at Vancouver Giants (3)

Series tied 2-2

Game 5: Saturday, March 31 – Save-On-Foods Memorial Arena, Victoria, B.C. – 7:05 p.m. PT

There’s nothing quite like the gleam of the national spotlight to bring out the best in your squad.

That was the case for the Victoria Royals Thursday night on Sportsnet 360 as they evened up their best-of-seven series against the Vancouver Giants with a 7-3 win.

Tyler Soy (Anaheim Ducks) tallied his first career playoff hat trick in his 2018 WHL Playoffs debut, Dante Hannoun added a goal and five points, while captain Matthew Phillips (Calgary Flames) finished with a goal and four points.

Goals from Phillips, Ralph Jarratt, and Soy put the Royals ahead 3-0 after 20 minutes, but the Giants responded in the second with goals from Dylan Plouffe and Davis Koch in the first half of the second period to bring them within a goal.

There’d be no collapse Thursday though as Hannoun and Soy would add goals in the second half of the middle period to restore the three-goal advantage after 40 minutes.

Little changed in third except for the widening of Victoria’s lead. Soy’s hat trick goal and Jeff de Wit’s second of the series rounded out Victoria’s offence while Jared Dmytriw added a late goal for the Giants.

Griffen Outhouse turned aside 24 of 26 shots before giving way to Dean McNabb, who stopped three of four shots in nearly three minutes of action. David Tendeck stopped 24 of 31 shots in the loss for the Giants.

Noah Gregor (San Jose Sharks) had a pair of assists while four other Royals found the scoresheet with a single helper.

2019 NHL draft prospect Bowen Byram had a pair of assists for the Giants. Four different Giants each picked up a single assist in the contest.

#WHLPlayoffs schedule for Friday, March 30

Game 5 – Regina Pats at Swift Current Broncos – 7:00 p.m. MT (Series tied 2-2)

Game 5 – Brandon Wheat Kings at Medicine Hat Tigers– 7:30 p.m. MT (Series tied 2-2)

Game 4 – Everett Silvertips at Seattle Thunderbirds – 7:35 p.m. PT (EVT leads 2-1)