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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Drop First Game in Regulation

October 4, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets' Trae Johnson on the ice
Kelowna Rockets' Trae Johnson on the ice
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)

The Kelowna Rockets suffered their first loss in regulation of the season, falling 3-2 to the Prince George Cougars.

Jari Kykkanen started the game for the Rockets, Carlin Dezainde driving across the crease caught Kykkanen. The goaltender would finish off the remainder of the first period, but was replaced in net by Jake Pilon to start the second period of the game. A status update on Kykkanen was not available.

Entering the game, the BC division-leading Cougars led the WHL in goals with 29 through four games this season.

WE ARE WAITING FOR GAME HIGHLIGHTS FROM PRINCE GEORGE | BOXSCORE

GAME SUMMARY

In his first game since being returned by the Los Angeles Kings, 2023 third-round pick Koehn Ziemmer (1) put the Cougars on the board first. Prince George goaltender Ty Young's clearing attempt was blocked by Andrew Cristall (2), who easily put the power play goal into the wide-open net.

Ondrej Becher (3) finished off a nice passing play from the slot to push Prince George ahead while on the man advantage in the second period.

Riley Heidt's (5) one-timer gave the Cougars an insurance goal with 1:31 to play in the game. Seventeen seconds later Hiroki Gojsic's (2) sharp angeled shot beat Young, pulling the Rockets back within one.

ADDITIONAL STATS

The Rockets record is now 1-1-1-0

Kelowna was 1/2 on the powerplay, while Prince George was 1/6

The Cougars outshot the Rockets 34-19

Kykkanen made 11 saves on 12 shots, while Pilon stopped 20 of the 22 shots fired on him

Cristall and Gojsic found the back of the net for the second consecutive game

UP NEXT

Kelowna will face the Prince George Cougars again tomorrow at 7:00 pm at the CN Centre. You can watch on CHL TV or listen on 104.7 The Lizard.

The Rockets next home game is set for Saturday, October 7 at 7:05 p.m. when Michael Cicek will face his former team, the Spokane Chiefs, for the first time. Kelowna will then play the Victoria Royals on Thanksgiving Monday at 12:35 p.m. Single-game tickets for the entire Rockets regular season as well as Mini Packs are now on sale at Select Your Tickets.

Single Game Tickets 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 4:00p.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' Trae Johnson on the ice
Kelowna Rockets' Trae Johnson on the ice
(Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)		   

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