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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Downed, 5-4, by Winterhawks

January 18, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets' Luke Schelter in action
Kelowna Rockets' Luke Schelter in action
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)

The Kelowna Rockets seven-game win streak on home ice came to an end as the Rockets fell 5-4 to the Portland Winterhawks on Wednesday at Propsera Place.

Trailing 2-1 after one period of play the Winterhawks took control of the game in the second, limiting the Rockets to three shots in the middle stanza while adding three more goals. Kelowna was able to chip away at the Winterhawks making it a one-goal game in the final minute of regulation.

"A push at the end, but when we deviate from our game plan against a really good hockey club like Portland I mean those little lapses are what's going to come back and haunt you," said Rockets head coach Kris Mallette in his postgame interview. Discipline, obviously was a big thing and then we knew what they were all about. The goals that they scored were just us sleeping."

Goaltender Jari Kykkanen was not available for the game. Seventeen-year-old rookie Jake Pilon made the start for the Rockets making 32 saves on 37 shots while an emergency backup was on the bench for Kelowna. Mallette did not have an update on Kykkanen in his interview.

Meanwhile, Rockets captain Gabriel Szturc recorded his 174th career point on Tij Iginla's goal, pushing him past Vaclav Varada and into sole possession of the Tacoma/Kelowna franchise record of points by a European player.

"In my time here I've had some pretty good Europeans come through and really special ones over the last few years," said Mallette. "Gabby's one of those guys who has played pivotal minutes for us, chipped in offensively, does a lot of things behind the scenes and is a great leader. I'm just happy for him to be going down in those record books with a number that's probably going to be tough to catch."

Szturc, 20, is in his third and final campaign with Kelowna. The Cesky Tesin, Czechia product was selected 44th overall by the Rockets in the first round of the 2021 CHL Import Draft. Last January he was named the Rockets 28th captain, becoming the first European player to wear the C for the organization.

"It's an honor for me to achieve something like that," said Gabriel Szturc on setting the record in his postgame availability. "I'm very happy for that but sad that we didn't win today, it would've been way nicer if we had won today.

"It's not about the individual achievements, it's about the team winning. It doesn't matter how many games you played or how many points you scored, all that matters is if you win or lose in the playoffs."

Following up behind the play James Stefan (28) put the rebound past Jake Pilon, giving the Winterhawks the opening lead 5:28 into the game. Ty Hurley dished the puck from behind the net to set up Brett Calhoon with a shot from the right faceoff circle that Trae Johnson (2) got his stick onto, deflecting it into the Winterhawks net at tying the game at 12:52. With Pilon out of position, Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson (13) gave the Winterhawks a one-goal lead heading into the intermission.

Diego Buttazzoni (19) deflected Stefan's shot from the point up and over Pilon to put the Winterhawks up by two 58 seconds into the second frame. Shortly after the Rockets power play had come to an end Hiroki Gojsic dished the puck to Max Graham (9) in the slot to make it a one-goal game just past the five-minute mark. While playing four-on-four hockey the Rockets got stuck with three plays in the Winterhawks zone, as the play raced back up the ice Kyle Chyzowski (12) restored the Winterhawks two-goal lead with a low glove hand shot. In the final minute of the period, Luca Cagnoni's (9) power-play goal gave Portland a 5-2 lead.

Ethan Neutens picked the puck off of a Winterhawk defender, where Gabriel Szturc picked it up at the top of the slot passing it off to Tij Iginla (28) at the right faceoff circle. In the final minute of the game, Andrew Cristall (26) pulled the Rockets within one on a penalty shot.

ADDITIONAL STATS

The Rockets record is now 20-19-2-0

Kelowna's power play was 0/1 on the night, while Portland was 1/4 with the man advantage

The Winterhawks outshot the Rockets 37-17

Rockets leading scorer Andrew Cristall extended his point streak to twenty-two games

This was the second of four meetings between the two, with the Winterhawks leading the season series 2-0

UP NEXT

Kelowna will host the Vancouver Giants on Saturday at Prospera Place at 7:05 pm.

Single Game Tickets for all Rockets games can be purchased:

Online at selectyourtickets.com

By calling Select Your Tickets at 250-762-5050

Or by visiting the Select Your Tickets box office at the Prospera Place box office. The box office is open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and opens at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday home game days.

Six and twelve game Mini Packs for the Kelowna Rockets season are now on sale through Select Your Tickets.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics




Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets' Luke Schelter in action
Kelowna Rockets' Luke Schelter in action
(Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from January 18, 2024


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