Penticton, Kelowna both trailing in third round of WHL playoffs

Both Okanagan WHL squads are coming off back-to-back losses in the third round of playoffs.

The Kelowna Rockets are taking the Everett Silvertips back to Prospera Place for game three this week, aiming to score their first win of the series at home.

The Silvertips, who led the league in the regular season, outscored Kelowna 8-3 between both games and prevented the Rockets from converting any of their 11 power plays.

Kelowna’s top two postseason scorers, Vojtech Cihar and Tij Iginla, have also been stifled in both games with no points so far in the series against Everett.

Rockets centre Ty Halaburda was taken off the ice on a stretcher after a hit near the Everett blue line toward the end of game two.

Whether he’ll return for game three isn’t known yet.

The Penticton Vees, meanwhile, are heading to Prince George for the next two games of the series.

Penticton finished the regular season with six wins and one overtime loss against Prince George, but they’re now sitting at back-to-back losses.

Despite out-shooting Prince George in both games, the Vees have been outscored 10-3 so far.

Should the Okanagan teams turn around and win each respective series, Kelowna and Penticton will face each other for a western conference title.

Kelowna is also guaranteed a spot in the Memorial Cup tournament as the host city.

Both series pick up again tomorrow with pucks dropping at 7 p.m.