Olen Zellweger in action against the Seattle Thunderbirds on May 4, 2023. (Photo via Allen Douglas)
Dylan Guenther scored three and added an assist as the Seattle Thunderbirds pushed the Kamloops Blazers to the brink of elimination with an 8-4 win in Game 4 of the WHL Western Conference Championship.
The T-Birds lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 and can close out the series at home on Saturday night.
Guenther and Kevin Korchinski put Seattle up by two in the first period before a Matthew Seminoff power play goal cut the lead in half.
Matthew Seminoff gets a stick on it to send the whiteout into a frenzy!@blazerhockey | @DallasStars | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/bNIqRQSNXT
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 5, 2023
Seattle restored the two goal lead with 1.7 seconds left to play as Guenther pounced after the Blazers turned over the puck in their own end.
Kamloops came out strong to start the second as Olen Zellweger scored his tenth of the playoffs just over a minute into the period, off a pass from Logan Stankoven who was behind the Seattle net.
Olen Zellweger has his TENTH goal of the 2023 #WHLPlayoffs presented by Nutrien!@blazerhockey | @AnaheimDucks | #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/RErF7UX2iC
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 5, 2023
Stankoven thought he tied the game on the power play 1:26 later though it wasn’t to be. Zellweger was penalized for goaltender interference, however video replay inside Sandman Centre showed he was pushed into T-Birds goaltender, Thomas Milic.
FYI, In the WHL, goaltender interference is not reviewable… at least not yet. Once the call is made on the ice. That’s it. NHL of course it’s reviewable.
— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) May 5, 2023
The Anaheim Ducks prospect got his just desserts about nine minutes later when his sharp-angle shot beat Milic on his glove side to tie the game at 3-3.
TAKE A BOW, OLEN!@blazerhockey | @AnaheimDucks | #WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingtheFuture pic.twitter.com/a4FoIFmgez
— The WHL (@TheWHL) May 5, 2023
Kyle Crnkovic rounded out the second period scoring at 6:28, to send the two teams into their locker rooms with Seattle up 4-3.
The T-Birds, eying a second consecutive trip to the WHL Championship Series, then pulled away with four goals in the third period – Jared Davidson, Bryce Pickford, Guenther, and Reid Schaefer – who also had three assists on the night – into the empty net.
Kamloops native Dylan Sydor gave the Blazers fans a glimmer of hope when he made it a 6-4 game with eight minutes left to play, though it was all the Memorial Cup hosts could muster Thursday night.
Blazers didn’t have the zip needed in the 3rd. Didn’t have their game tonight. Too many miscues. Lines juggled mid-game for a spark. Was 3-3, ends 8-4 with the empty-netter. Shots 41-40 SEA
Game five Saturday night.— Jon Keen (@JonKeenNLSports) May 5, 2023
Dylan Ernst stopped 33 of 40 Seattle shots Thursday night for his third loss of the playoffs. Milic turned aside 36 of 40 Kamloops shots to earn his eleventh win.
Stankoven and Connor Levis finished with two assists each. Stankoven leads all skaters with 29 points in 12 games, with Zellweger hot on his heels on 28 points.
Game 5 of the series will be played at the accesso ShoWare Center Saturday night. Game 6, if needed, will be back at Sandman Centre on Monday, May 8.
