Rockets Pick Up First Win Of 2024 Pre-Season

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Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Pick Up First Win Of 2024 Pre-Season

September 8, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets' Jackson Gillespie and Owen Folstrom on the ice
Kelowna Rockets' Jackson Gillespie and Owen Folstrom on the ice
(Kelowna Rockets)

The Kelowna Rockets grabbed their first win of the 2024 exhibition season with a 4-3 overtime victory over the Kamloops Blazers on Saturday night at Prospera Place.

The Rockets rolled with a similar lineup to the one that played in Kamloops on Friday with Luke Schelter and Marek Rocak entering the line up in place of fifteen-year-old Nathan Cole and defenceman Lachlan Staniforth. Veterans Landon Cowper, Max Graham, Tij Iginla, Ethan Neutens, Andrew Cristall, Hiroki Gojsic, Caden Price, Carter Kowalyk and Jari Kykkanen were all scratches for the second consecutive pre-season contest.

GAME SUMMARY

Kelowna came out of the gates fast tonight as Michael Cicek found the back of the net just 6:07 into the game, notching his second in as many nights and Kelowna's first power play goal of pre-season. The Rockets were quick to add to their lead as 16-year-old Owen Folstrom banked a shot off Kamloops goaltender Dylan Ernst to make it 2-0 in favour of the home side. That score would hold until late in the period as Layton Feist scored his second of the pre-season to make it 2-1 after one period.

Twenty-year-old Luke Schelter scored 5:54 into the second period nabbing Kelowna's second goal with the man advantage to make it 3-1 but Blazers forward Jordan Keller scored less than three minutes later to make it 3-2.

The game would keep the 3-2 score all the way through the third period until Kamloops pulled their goalie for the extra attacker and rookie forward Tommy Lafreniere tied the game with 16 seconds left. Rockets rookie Kanjyu Gojsic potted the overtime winner 1:59 into overtime off an assist from Kalder Varga.

ADDITIONAL STATS

Kelowna was 2/6 on the powerplay, while Kamloops was 2/5

Kelowna outshot Kamloops 38-31

Rookie Kanjyu Gojsic scored the game winning goal, adding to his first period assist on Michael Cicek's opening tally

Rockets returning netminder Jake Pilon played the entirety of the game, stopping 28 of the 31 shots he faced on the evening

UP NEXT

The Rockets will play its third pre-season game on Saturday, September 14 when they host the Vancouver Giants at Prospera Place.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics




Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets' Jackson Gillespie and Owen Folstrom on the ice
Kelowna Rockets' Jackson Gillespie and Owen Folstrom on the ice
   

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Western Hockey League Stories from September 8, 2024


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