Rockets Get Shutout Victory In Wenatchee

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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Get Shutout Victory In Wenatchee

October 19, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets' Ethan Mittelsteadt, Tij Iginla and Jaxon Kehrig on game night
Kelowna Rockets' Ethan Mittelsteadt, Tij Iginla and Jaxon Kehrig on game night
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Russ Alman)

The Kelowna Rockets have won four consecutive games after they shutout the Wenatchee Wild 4-0 on Friday night at Town Toyota Center.

Goaltender Jari Kykkanen pitched a 26 save shutout and the Rockets got goals from Kayden Longley, Tij Iginla and rookie Kalder Varga who scored his first career Western Hockey League goal in the second period.

GAME SUMMARY

The game was scoreless through the first 20 minutes of play, before Kelowna found a second gear for three goals in the second period. Longley scored his first of the season when he was sprung on a partial breakaway from Jakub Stancl and beat newly acquired Wild goaltender Zach Zahara with a high blocker side shot to put Kelowna ahead 1-0. Tij Iginla would make it 2-0 on a shorthanded goal which saw him strip the Wenatchee defender of the puck with a toe drag, break in on Zahara and beat him with a forehand, backhand deke that went high glove side. The goal was Iginla's fifth of the season and fourth in the past three games. Varga would continue the onslaught when he bust in down the right side and fired a bullet over Zahara's glove for his first career goal.

Varga now joins Kanjyu Gojsic, Jaxon Kehrig, Jakub Stancl, Levi Benson and Owen Folstrom as Rockets who have scored their first major junior goal at the start of this young season.

The third period saw Kykkanen turn aside 11 Wenatchee shots and Iginla score his second of the game into the empty net for a 4-0 victory.

ADDITIONAL STATS

Wenatchee outshot Kelowna 26-24

Both power plays went 0/4 on the evening

Jari Kykkanen stopped every shot he faced for his first shutout of the season and fifth of his career

Kayden Longley scored his second game winning goal of his career

UP NEXT

Kelowna will finish up their brief two-game road trip when they take on the Tri-City Americans on Oct. 19. The team will then return home to host the Victoria Royals on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Puck drop for that game will go at 7:05 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' Ethan Mittelsteadt, Tij Iginla and Jaxon Kehrig on game night
Kelowna Rockets' Ethan Mittelsteadt, Tij Iginla and Jaxon Kehrig on game night
(Russ Alman)		   

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