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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Fall In Tightly Contested Battle With Blazers

December 28, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets' Michael Cicek, Eli Barrett, Jake Pilon, and Landon Cowper versus Kamloops Blazers' Tommy Lafrenière and Andrew Thomson
Kelowna Rockets' Michael Cicek, Eli Barrett, Jake Pilon, and Landon Cowper versus Kamloops Blazers' Tommy Lafrenière and Andrew Thomson
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor )

The Kelowna Rockets got the first goal of the game from rookie Kalder Varga but fell 3-1 to the Kamloops Blazers on Saturday night in front of a sold out crowd at Prospera Place.

Goaltender Jake Pilon made 45 saves in the loss.

GAME SUMMARY

The Rockets came out quick in this game as Kayden Longley did some great work down low, stripping the Blazers defenceman near the goal line before finding Kalder Varga out front where the 16-year-old forward fired the puck past Blazers goaltender Dylan Ernst for a 1-0 lead just six minutes into the game. The goal was Varga's sixth of the season and first on home ice.

The teams would trade chances through the remainder of the first period and throughout the second period but Varga's tally would remain the lone goal until the third period where Kamloops would tie the game at 7:01 in the third when Nathan Behm potted his 19th of the season on the power play. Kamloops would take the lead for good with a second power play goal when John Szabo beat Pilon for his sixth of the season with under five minutes to play which stood as the game winner. Szabo would add the empty netter to ice the game for the Blazers.

"When we do it the right way and play to our identity, we're fine," said Rockets Head Coach Kris Mallette. "It's a matter of doing that consistently for 60 minutes."

ADDITIONAL STATS

Kamloops outshot Kelowna 48-26

Kelowna went 0/2 on the power play while Kamloops went 2/5

Jake Pilon was solid in net making 45 saves

UP NEXT

Kelowna will now travel to Vancouver to play the Giants on December 29th before ringing in the New Year in Wenatchee against the Wild. Their next home game will be on January 4th against the Vancouver Giants with puck drop going at 6:05 PM.

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

Kelowna Rockets' Michael Cicek, Eli Barrett, Jake Pilon, and Landon Cowper versus Kamloops Blazers' Tommy Lafrenière and Andrew Thomson
Kelowna Rockets' Michael Cicek, Eli Barrett, Jake Pilon, and Landon Cowper versus Kamloops Blazers' Tommy Lafrenière and Andrew Thomson
(Steve Dunsmoor )		   

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Western Hockey League Stories from December 28, 2024


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