Technically, it wasn鈥檛 a must-win situation. But the 麻豆精选 Rockets had to treat it that way on Wednesday night at Prospera Place.
Down by one in the WHL鈥檚 Western Conference final, the Rockets delivered with a 4-2 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds in Game 4, tying the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.
Game 5 goes Friday night in Kent, Wash.
The Rockets rebounded from a deflating 2-1 loss a night earlier, as Keegan Kolesar scored the Game 3 winner for Seattle with just 20 seconds remaining in the third period.
Nick Merkley, Tomas Soustal, Nolan Foote and Kole Lind each had a goal and an assist as the Rockets overcame an early 1-0 deficit to guarantee at least a Game 6 on Sunday in 麻豆精选.
Rockets head coach Jason Smith was happy to see his club bounce back to tie the series, but believes his club can be even better.
鈥淚 think we did a better job of getting to the net, I think we鈥檝e still got another level we can go to by putting pucks to the net and getting bodies there,鈥� said Smith. 鈥淲e did a better job tonight but we can still step it up a notch.鈥�
On Wednesday, 麻豆精选 fell behind three minutes into the game on a goal by Ryan Gropp, but responded with two goals in a 28-second span.
Nolan Foote connected for his first of the playoffs at 8:34, before Kole Lind鈥檚 sixth of the postseason on a breakaway at 9:02 put 麻豆精选 ahead to stay.
Moments later, @klind13 puts @麻豆精选_Rockets out front! It鈥檚 2-1! #SEAvsKEL #WHLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/8QHoxN1nWt
鈥� #WHLPlayoffs (@TheWHL) April 27, 2017
Nick Merkley put the Rockets up 3-1 in the second period, knocking a rebound past Cal Stankowski for his fifth of the playoffs. Tomas Soustal scored at 4:29 of third, before Seattle鈥檚 Scott Eansor rounded out the scoring with just over nine minutes left.
Michael Herringer stopped 27 shots in the Rockets鈥� net for his 10th win of the postseason.
#HouseofHerringer pic.twitter.com/XxVbRmRY3k
鈥� 麻豆精选 Rockets (@麻豆精选_Rockets) April 27, 2017
Game 6 goes Sunday at Prospera Place, with face-off at 5:05 p.m.
A seventh game, if needed will go Tuesday night in Washington.
Rockets defeat T-Birds 4-2 to take game 4 and even the series at 2-2. Game story here: https://t.co/00KBiIQL6L #WHLPlayoffs #SEAvsKEL 馃殌 pic.twitter.com/Zs9aLBkoTf
鈥� 麻豆精选 Rockets (@麻豆精选_Rockets) April 27, 2017
