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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Fall In Tight Battle With Cougars

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


Hiroki Gojsic of the Kelowna Rockets (right)
Hiroki Gojsic of the Kelowna Rockets (right)
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor)

The Kelowna Rockets got a two goal, three point performance from leading scorer Andrew Cristall, but it wasn't enough as the Rockets fell 5-3 on Tuesday night to the Prince George Cougars at Prospera Place.

GAME SUMMARY

Andrew Cristall would open the scoring with his 23rd of the season when he corralled a Jacob Henderson point shot and deposited the puck over Cougars Joshua Ravensbergen for a 1-0 Rockets lead. The lead, however, was short lived as Prince George would tie the game under a minute after Cristall's marker as Matteo Danis would beat Rockets goaltender Rhett Stoesser to bring the game back to even footing.

Cristall would score his second of the evening when he beat the Cougars defenceman wide down the left side and finished off the play with a slick wraparound, beating Ravensbergen. The goal would give Cristall 334 career points in a Rockets uniform, surpassing John Varga for second all-time in Rockets history. The 19-year-old is just 41 points back of tying Brett McLean who holds the record with 375. Prince George would once again answer with goals from Carson Carels and Villiam Kmec to put the Cougars ahead 3-2. Brett Calhoon would hammer a goal past Ravensbergen to once again tie the game, as each team had three goals heading into the final frame.

Kmec would score the game winner with his second goal of the night and sixth of the season while Terik Parascak put the game away with an empty net goal to give Prince George a 5-3 victory.

"We worked hard tonight," said Rockets Head Coach Kris Mallette. "Again, it's a game of inches. Some of those goals that were scored tonight were a little move here, little move there that ultimately ends up in the back of our net. We had some grade 'A' chances that we couldn't get past their goaltender and it seems like they made the most of their opportunities."

ADDITIONAL STATS

Prince George outshot Kelowna 34-20

Kelowna went 0/1 on the power play while Prince George went 1/1

Rhett Stoesser made 29 saves on the evening

UP NEXT

Kelowna will return from the Christmas break to host the Kamloops Blazers on December 28th at 7:05 PM. Kelowna will then travel to Vancouver to play the Giants on December 29th before ringing in the New Year in Wenatchee against the Wild.

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 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and opens at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday home game days.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics




Images from this story

Hiroki Gojsic of the Kelowna Rockets (right)
Hiroki Gojsic of the Kelowna Rockets (right)
(Steve Dunsmoor)		   

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Western Hockey League Stories from December 18, 2024


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