Adam Brown (top) and the Kelowna Rockets will take on Taylor Leier and the Portland Winterhawks in the opening round of the WHL playoffs beginning Friday.
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Rockets to face Portland in WHL playoffs
Published: March 17, 2012 9:00 AMUpdated: March 17, 2012 5:02 PM
The Kelowna Rockets will play the Portland Winterhawks in the first round of the Western Hockey League playoffs.
The series begins Friday and Saturday with the first two games in Portland. Games 3 and 4 are in Kelowna Tuesday, March 27 and Thursday, March 29.
The series is a rematch of last year's entertaining clash between the two teams in the second round of the WHL playoffs which Portland won four games to two.
The 'Hawks will finish third in the Western Conference, while the Rockets will wind up in sixth.
Here are the times and dates:
Friday, March 23 Kelowna @ Portland 7:00
Saturday, March 24 Kelowna @ Portland 7:00
Tuesday, March 27 Portland @ Kelowna 7:05
Thursday, March 29 Portland @ Kelowna 7:05
Saturday, March 31 Kelowna @ Portland 7:00*
Monday, April 2 Portland @ Kelowna 7:05*
Wednesday, April 4 Kelowna @ Portland 7:00*
Meanwhile, the Jordan Martinook scored three times for the Giants on Friday, including the overtime winner, as Vancouver posted a 5-4 come-from-behind victory over the Rockets. Kelowna had a 3-1 lead heading into the third period.
Brett Bulmer and Damon Severson each had a goal and two assists for the Rockets. Tyson Baillie and Zach Franko added a goal and an assist apiece for Kelowna. Adam Brown was solid in net in a losing cause, facing 30 shots.
The game saw the debut of 2011 draft pick Riley Stadel. The 1996-born defenceman wore jersey number 3 in his Rockets' debut after playing midget this season with the Okanagan Hockey Academy. The Surrey native was the Rockets third round pick in the 2011 WHL bantam draft.
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