Rockets, Hawks in epic final

Photo: Wayne Moore - Castanet File Photo

Tyson Baillie (24) and the Kelowna Rockets will try to break free from the Portland Winterhawks when they open their Western Conference final next Friday at Prospera Place.

It's the final hockey fans in Kelowna and Portland have been waiting for.

The Kelowna Rockets and Portland Winterhawks, the top two teams in the Western Conference of the Western Hockey League over the regular season, will meet in the Western Conference final beginning next Friday.

Kelowna finished the regular season with a club record 118 points - ranked number one in the CHL.

The Rockets advanced to the third round beating Tri-City in five games and sweeping the Seattle Thunderbirds in four.

The Winterhawks were second in the west and second overall in the WHL over the regular season with 113 points.

They dispatched the Vancouver Giants in four straight before taking out Victoria in five tough games in the Western Conference semi-final.

The Rockets and Winterhawks met four times during the regular season - the Rockets coming out on top in all four.

Kelowna secured wins of 6-2 and 6-3 (Oct 4 and Oct 5) in Kelowna and 9-3 and 7-2 (Dec 31 and Jan 2) in Portland.

Myles Bell, out with a lower body injury, led the Rockets with 10 points in the four games against the Winterhawks.

Tyson Baillie had two goals and five assists while Madison Bowey chipped in with a goal and six assists. Rourke Chartier added two goals and three assists, all in Portland.

The series opens with games one and two in Kelowna Friday and Saturday.

Friday's game begins at 7:30.

The series then shifts to Portland for games three and four Tuesday and Wednesday, April 22 and 23.

Should the series go beyond four games - game five would be played at Prospera Place Friday, April 25 with a seventh game if needed Tuesday, April 29.