T-Birds score four unanswered to beat Blazers, even series

Photo: Allen Douglas/Kamloops Blazers

Seattle goaltender Thomas Milic surrendered just one goal on 41 shots Saturday at Sandman Centre as the Thunderbirds beat the Kamloops Blazers 4-1 to even their best-of-seven WHL Western Conference Championship series at one game apiece.

The Seattle Thunderbirds scored four unanswered goals Saturday at Sandman Centre en route to a 4-1 win over the Kamloops Blazers to even their WHL Western Conference Championship series at one game apiece.

Lucas Ciona, Conner Roulette, Sam Oremba and Reid Schaefer were the goal scorers for Seattle. Logan Stankoven scored the lone Kamloops marker.

Stankoven opened the scoring with a power-play goal 99 seconds into the first period, but that was all the offence the Blazers would muster.

Ciona scored at 6:39 of the first and Roulette and Oremba tallied early in the second and third, respectively. Schaefer tucked one into an empty net at 17:55 of the third.

Seattle goalie Thomas Milic made 40 saves on 41 shots to earn the win in net. Dylan Garand made 23 saves on 26 T-Bird shots in a losing effort.

The Blazers scored once on three power-play opportunities. The Thunderbirds could not convert on two chances.

Announced attendance at Sandman Centre was 4,392.

The Blazers won 5-2 in Game 1 on Friday night. Game 3 goes Tuesday at ShoWare Centre in Kent, Wash., followed by Game 4 on Wednesday.

Game 5 will be played at Sandman Centre on Friday. Puck drop is 7 p.m.

Winnipeg gets even

A hat trick from Mikey Milne paced the Winnipeg Ice in a 5-1 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday to draw even in Game 2 of the WHL Eastern Conference Championship.

The game was tied 1-1 to start the third period. Winnipeg scored twice early in the final frame and added a pair of goals late.

Announced attendance at Wayne Fleming Arena in Winnipeg was 2,000.

The Oil Kings won 5-4 in overtime in Game 1 on Friday. The series will now shift to Edmonton for Game 3 and Game 4 on Monday and Wednesday.