Patrick Dea finished off the Western Hockey League regular season in style, earning the Canadian Hockey League害羞草研究所檚 goaltender of the week award.

Much to the chagrin of the Kelowna Rockets, the 20-year-old Tri-City Americans害羞草研究所� stopper rode that momentum right into the playoffs.

Dea stopped all 39 shots he faced Thursday at Prospera Place to lead the Americans to a 5-0 victory over the Rockets in Game 1 of the best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series.

Morgan Geekie and Michael Rasmussen each scored twice for the Americans who made the most of their power play opportunities, going a perfect 3-for-3, while Kelowna was 0-for-4.

Down 2-0 late in the second period, Rockets forward Dillon Dube was handed a five-minute major and game misconduct for charging害羞草研究所攔aising the ire of more than 5,100 fans at Prospera Place害羞草研究所攁fter going hard to the net and crashing into Dea.

Dube was being pursued by Ams defenceman Jake Bean who made contact with the Kelowna forward just prior the collision.

The Americans would put the game away with three straight power play goals early in the third, the first two on Dube害羞草研究所檚 five-minute major.

Rockets head coach Jason Smith said the call on Dube represented a key turning point in the game.

害羞草研究所淭he refs made the call, it is what it is, can害羞草研究所檛 say much about it,害羞草研究所� said Smith. 害羞草研究所淥bviously it changed momentum in the game, refs made the call based on what they saw, it is what it is.

害羞草研究所淲e did some good things on that PK, but we made one mistake and it turned into three and the puck ended up in our net, that害羞草研究所檚 what happens when momentum changes in junior hockey. Now it害羞草研究所檚 about how we change the momentum and get ready for the next one.害羞草研究所�

The Rockets started strong and fired 19 shots at the Ams net in the opening but couldn害羞草研究所檛 get one past Dea, a recurring theme throughout the game

害羞草研究所淔or the next game of the series, we害羞草研究所檙e going to want to get in this guy害羞草研究所檚 face, make sure we害羞草研究所檙e in front, not let him see all the pucks flying at him,害羞草研究所� said Rockets captain Cal Foote. 害羞草研究所淚t was a good start to the game, but we害羞草研究所檝e just gotta find a way to finish it off.害羞草研究所�

James Porter stopped 27 shots in the Kelowna net.

Game 2 goes Saturday night at Prospera Place, with face off at 7:05 p.m.

Games 3 and 4 set for next Wednesday and Thursday in Kennewick, WA.

Series schedule:

Game 1害羞草研究所擳ri-City 5, Kelowna 0, Thursday, March 22 7:05

Game 2害羞草研究所擳ri-City @ Kelowna, Saturday, March 24 7:05

Game 3害羞草研究所擪elowna @ Tri-City, Wednesday, March 28 7:05

Game 4害羞草研究所擪elowna @ Tri-City, Thursday, March 29 7:05

Game 5害羞草研究所�* Tri-City @ Kelowna, Saturday, March 31 7:05

Game 6害羞草研究所�* Kelowna @ Tri-City, Sunday, April 1 5:05

Game 7害羞草研究所�* Tri-City @ Kelowna, Tuesday, April 3 7:05