WHL playoffs: Thunderbirds edge Blazers 4-2, punch ticket to championship series
Published
KAMLOOPS, B.C. — The Seattle Thunderbirds have punched their ticket to the Western Hockey League championship series.
Kyle Crnkovic's goal 10 minutes into the third period stood up as the winner as the T-Birds defeated the Kamloops Blazers 4-2 to win the best-of-seven Western Conference final in six games.
Jared Davidson, Sawyer Mynio and Reid Schaefer (empty-netter) also scored for the Thunderbirds, who outshot the Blazers 43-30 at the Sandman Centre, where this year's Memorial Cup will be held later this month.
Dylan Sydor and Matthew Seminoff scored for the Blazers, who will play in the Memorial Cup as the host team. In fact, they'll play the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champions in the opening game on May 26.
The Thunderbirds and Winnipeg ICE will play in the championship series to determine the second WHL team for the Memorial Cup.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 8, 2023.