PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. -- Mitchell Callahan scored two goals to power the Kelowna Rockets past the Prince George Cougars 7-6 in Western Hockey League playoff action Tuesday.
Kelowna has pulled into a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven quarter-final series. The Rockets can complete the sweep Wednesday in Prince George.
Brett Bulmer, Shane McColgan, Spencer Main, Zach Franko and Colton Heffley also scored for Kelowna.
Taylor Stefishen, with two, Sena Acolatse, Charles Inglis, Spencer Asuchak and Martin Marincin had the goals for the Cougars, who went 2-for-4 on the power play.
Adam Brown made 35 saves on 41 shots for the Rockets.
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Americans 4, Giants 0
VANCOUVER -- Adam Hughesman scored two goals and Drew Owsley stopped 22 shots as the Tri-City Americans blanked the Vancouver Giants 4-0 in Western Hockey League playoff action Tuesday night.
The Americans lead the best-of-seven series 3-0. This marks the first time in the Giants' 10-year history that they have trailed a first-round series by three games.
The Americans can complete the sweep Wednesday in Vancouver.
Hughesman was playing his first game of the series after missing the final 12 games of the regular season and first two of the playoffs with a knee injury.
The Giants have not lost in the first round since 2004-05.
Connor Rankin and Justin Feser also scored for the Americans while Owsley recorded his first shutout of the post-season.
Power plays were the difference as Tri-City converted three of six man-advantage opportunities, including the two by Hughesman. The Giants had four power plays.
The first period was scoreless and the Americans led 1-0 after the second.
With 3:18 left in the first, Vancouver's Brendan Gallagher hit the post as he went around Owsley. The red light came on but a referee quickly waved off the goal. After Owsley smothered the puck, a replay on the scoreboard confirmed the decision was right and no official video review was held.
Hughesman opened the scoring on a power play at 17:53 of the second period as he roofed a shot over Vancouver goaltender Mark Segal from a sharp angle. The goal came only nine seconds after Vancouver defenceman Darren Bestland was called for hooking.
The goal came on one of just five Tri-City shots in the second period.
Rankin put the Americans ahead 2-0 at 2:10 of the third as he put in an on-ice backhand while spinning and falling at the top of the face-off circle with the teams playing four-on-four. A little while later, Segal stopped Justin Feser on a short-handed breakaway.
The stellar save did little to help the Giants, as the Americans increased their lead during a five-on-three power play. Hughesman converted a goalmouth pass from Brendan Shinnimin to put Tri-City up 3-0.
Feser closed out the scoring on another power play with 1:47 left.
NOTES: Giants captain James Henry returned to the lineup after missing the first two games of the series with a knee injury ... Vancouver bench boss Don Hay remains one game shy of the WHL's all-time playoff coaching win record. Hay remains tied with former Edmonton Oil Kings and Portland Winterhawks coach Ken Hodge at 101 ... Tri-City took three of four regular-season meetings with Vancouver.
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Warriors 4, Ice 0
MOOSE JAW, Sask. -- Thomas Heemskerk stopped all 28 shots he faced as the Moose Jaw Warriors blanked the Kootenay Ice 4-0 in Western Hockey League playoff action on Tuesday.
The Warriors now lead their best-of-seven first-round series 2-1 with Game 4 on Wednesday in Moose Jaw.
Unlikely contributors Spencer Edwards, Joey Kornelsen, Antonin Honejsek and Dylan Hood scored for Moose Jaw. Jesse Paradis had two assists.
"They're unheralded guys because they don't score a whole lot, but they're huge come playoff time," said Warriors head coach Dave Hunchak.
The quartet rotated on the checking line, doing a great job of containing Cody Eakin and the Ice's top line.
Kornelsen and Paradis also spent time riding shotgun with Honejsek and Quinton Howden.
"Guys finished their checks and creating energy seem to get noticed more in the playoffs," said Paradis. "If they can chip in with a goal it's a big deal. If someone makes a big hit it helps get guys going."
The Warriors special units broke out as Edwards and Honejsek scored on the Warriors' first two power-play attempts. The Warriors had been 0-for-16 on the power play coming into Game 3.
"Moose Jaw capitalized on their power plays and we didn't. I thought that was a big part of the story," said Ice coach Kris Knoblauch, whose team was 0-for-4 on the night.
The Ice had a glorious chance to get back in the game late in the second when Edwards took a delay of game penalty to give the visitors a 5-on-3 power play for 1:23.
The Warriors penalty killers were excellent and Heemskerk made some big stops to give Moose Jaw a three-goal lead heading into the third period.
"That could have been a complete momentum changer," said Edwards. "Jesse Paradis did a great job on that 5-on-3 blocking a couple of shots. That really got us going on the bench."
The Warriors locked it down from there, only allowing two third period shots.
Heemskerk was very sharp and his rebound control superb, yet he didn't have many highlight-reel saves.
"If we can hold a lead like that that's all we can ask for. Everyone likes helping (Heemskerk) get the shutout," said Paradis.
Ice forward Drew Czerwonka left the game in the first period after being leveled by Warriors defenceman Joel Edmundson. Czerwonka didn't return and his status for Game 4 is uncertain.
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