Rockets Fall In Pre-Season Opener

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Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Fall In Pre-Season Opener

September 6, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets' Ethan Mittelsteadt and Nathan Kam on the ice
Kelowna Rockets' Ethan Mittelsteadt and Nathan Kam on the ice
(Kelowna Rockets)

The Kelowna Rockets opened their 2024 preseason schedule with a 9-3 loss to the Kamloops Blazers on Friday night at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops.

Fifteen-year-olds Owen Hayden, Nathan Cole and William Matte all saw their first game action with the Rockets. Levi Benson, Kalder Varga, Kanjyu Gojsic and Owen Folstrom also played for Kelowna. Veterans Landon Cowper, Max Graham, Luke Schelter, Tij Iginla, Ethan Nuetens, Andrew Cristall, Hiroki Gojsic, Caden Price, Carter Kowalyk, Marek Rocak and Jari Kykkanen were scratched for the pre-season opener.

GAME SUMMARY

Kamloops scored the game's first four goals in the first period which featured four different goal scorers. Layton Feist got the scoring started under three minutes into the game and was followed by Oren Shtrom, Kai Matthews and Jordan Keller.

Levi Benson got Kelowna on the board 1:30 into the second period, with Jackson Gillespie getting the lone assist. Kamloops answered later in the period off a goal by Tommy Lafreniere to make it 5-1 but the Blazers four-goal lead was short lived as 16-year-old Jacob Henderson scored less than 30 seconds after the Lafreniere marker to make it 5-2.

Kamloops got on the board early in the third as Conner Radke got his first of the exhibition season. Oren Shtrom and and Tommy Lafreniere both scored their seconds of the night to make it 8-2. Nathan Behm made it 9-2 midway through the third period.

20-year-old Michael Cicek got his first goal of the pre-season to make it 9-3.

ADDITIONAL STATS

Kelowna was 0/3 on the powerplay, while Kamloops was 4/6

Kamloops outshot Kelowna 50-25

Jackson Gillespie had two assists on the evening

UP NEXT

The Rockets will host the Blazers tomorrow night (Sept. 7) at Prospera Place. Please note that puck drop is set for 6:05 pm.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics




Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets' Ethan Mittelsteadt and Nathan Kam on the ice
Kelowna Rockets' Ethan Mittelsteadt and Nathan Kam on the ice
   

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