The Seattle Thunderbirds faced a must-win situation going into last night's (June 11) game six of the Western Hockey League final in Edmonton against the Oil Kings and their captain Jake Neighbours of Airdrie.

Neighbours and Edmonton were just a win away from punching their ticket to the Memorial Cup with a three games to one lead over the T-Birds.
At the end of last night's contest, Edmonton is still a win away from the Canadian Junior Hockey Championship as Seattle came away with a hard fought 3 - 2 win.

Edmonton struck first when Vegas Golden Knights prospect Jakub Demek connected at the 6:25 mark of the opening frame.  Seattle evened the score just over two minutes into the second on a goal from Conner Roulette before taking the lead for good  when Matthew Rempe scored on the power-play to make it 2 - 1 Seattle.  

Lucas Ciona scored the eventual winner 2:21 into the third before Carson Goulder redirected a shot past Seattle goalie Thomas Milic midway through the third period.  That was as close as the Oil Kings got as Milic stoned them the rest of the way to force game six in the series.  Milic turned aside 28 shots while Sebastian Cossa in the Edmonton crease was called on to stop 31. 

Despite firing four shots on goal Neighbours didn't hit the scoresheet in last night's game.  The Airdrie product, who was drafted in the first round of the 2020 NHL draft by the St. Louis Blues, has 15 points on three goals and 12 assists in 18 playoff games in 2022.

Tyrel Bauer of Cochrane wasn't in Seattle's lineup last night.

The Thunderbirds face another elimination game Monday night.  The game will once again be played at Rogers Place in Edmonton but Seattle will be designated as the home team.   The game will be shown on TSN 3/4 starting at 7:30 pm.   

Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@discoverairdrie.com