Photo credit: Steve Dunsmoor

By Regan Bartel

Seattle sends Rockets to sidelines

‘I am looking forward to next year already’ – Rockets AC Josh MacNevin

Apr 6, 2023 | 6:00 AM

The Kelowna Rockets aren’t often eliminated in four straight games in a playoff series.

Shaking hands with the opposition at centre ice at its conclusion at Prospera Place is even rarer.

The Rockets’ season ended abruptly last night with a 3-0 home-ice loss to the Seattle Thunderbirds.

Thomas Milic made 19 saves in the shutout.

“I think guys were gripping their sticks a little tight tonight”, assistant coach Josh MacNevin admitted to RocketFAN after the game. “Down 3-0 with our backs against the wall, we don’t have a ton of experience, and that is what you need in these situations.”

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The last time the Rockets were swept at home in a playoff series was in 2012 when the Portland Winterhawks were able to accomplish the feat.

After a scoreless opening period, the T-Birds struck first with a power play goal and carried a 1-0 lead into the final 20 minutes.

Seattle padded that lead with two third-period goals to put the series on ice.

Outscoring the Rockets 14-4, the visitors lit the lamp 11 times in the crucial third period.

“We really worked hard all series”, MacNevin reflected on four games that were closer than many pundits had expected. “We could have easily come away with a couple of games.”

In two of the four contests, the Rockets opened the scoring and held the lead heading into the third period before the T-Birds would eventually pull away.

In Wednesday’s game, with the two teams scoreless, the Rockets had only two shots on goal on a two-man advantage for 1:18.

“That would have been a big momentum boost for us”, MacNevin said. “It would have given us more confidence had we scored, and that is an area you want to capitalize. We just couldn’t get it done. Credit to them, they played it well.”

Seattle captain Lucas Ciona would score a power play goal of his own, his third in three games, and the visitors were on the scoresheet.

The knockout punch came in the third period, which was the trend, with two more goals, with the T-Birds outshooting the Rockets 14-1.

“Again that [playoff] experience comes into play for me”, MacNevin added. “We got to get those pucks into the offensive zone and get to it first, and you have to maintain some zone time and we just couldn’t do it. There was some fatigue for sure and you fall back on some of your older guys there and we just didn’t have anything left.”

The loss ended the junior careers of 20-year-olds Carson Golder, Adam Kydd, and goaltender Talyn Boyko, who made his first start of the playoffs after teammate Jari Kykkanen was stellar in the opening three games.

“Oh, he was great”, MacNevin said about Boyko’s play. “He finished the year really well for us. He had a good strong season. He was a good 20-year-old and was the consummate professional. He was a good teammate, and when he wasn’t playing he did what he needed to do and it was good to see him come in and have some success.”

Boyko ended the night with 35 saves in his final appearance wearing Kelowna Rockets colours.

The 6’7 netminder will play pro next season after signing an NHL contract with the New York Rangers back in October.

“We knew we had it in us to make it a series and we did despite the result”, MacNevin concluded. “It was a series and I don’t think they expected it. We are just really proud of the effort and buy in, and it is a good building block for next year.

“I am looking forward to next year already.”