Keegan Kolesar wins WHL Championship with Seattle

It's official - Blue Jackets prospect Keegan Kolesar and the Seattle Thunderbirds are the Western Hockey League champions, as they defeated the Regina Pats in a wild Game 6 that ended late Sunday night in overtime. Seattle overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period to win their first ever WHL Championship. Kolesar, 20, led the WHL in playoff scoring going 12-19--31 in 19 games.

The score was knotted at 1-1 going into the third period, but Regina came out firing with two goals in under two minutes midway through the final frame. Seattle answered just 1:26 later to bring the game within one, then Kolesar hammered home a power play goal with just 2:54 remaining in regulation to send Game 6 to overtime in Regina.

Kolesar's tally brought his playoff goal total to 12, tied for third in WHL postseason scoring.
The Blue Jackets' third round draft pick in 2015 wasn't done, as he set up Alexander True at 12:36 in overtime to bring the Ed Chynoweth Cup to Seattle for the first time in franchise history.

Kolesar and the Thunderbirds now advance to the Memorial Cup, played between WHL champion Seattle, QMJHL champion Saint John, OHL champion Erie, as well as host team Windsor, beginning this weekend.
The 6'2", 227-pound right wing finished as the WHL's leading playoff scorer with 31 points in 19 games. He signed a three-year entry level contract with the Blue Jackets in December.