Rockets Put Eight Past Giants for Decisive Victory
November 23, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release
Kelowna Rockets' Andrew Cristall and Max Graham on game night
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor )
The Kelowna Rockets got a five-point performance from Andrew Cristall, two goals from Kayden Longley and 25 saves from goaltender Jake Pilon to defeat the Vancouver Giants 8-3 on Friday night at Prospera Place.
GAME SUMMARY
Vancouver would actually open the scoring when the Western Hockey League's leading goal scorer Cameron Schmidt beat a sprawling Jake Pilon up high for a 1-0 lead. Kelowna thought it tied the game when Tij Iginla broke it and fired a backhand that beat Giants goaltender Matthew Hutchison, but was determined the puck did not cross the goal line following a review which kept the game 1-0 in Vancouver's favour. That wouldn't last long however as Jakub Stancl took a sweet feed from Andrew Cristall and fired it past Hutchison to make it 1-1. Vancouver would answer just under two minutes later as Adam Titlbach would make it 2-1 in favour of the visitors heading into the break.
The second period was all Kelowna as they'd score six unanswered goals in the frame. Michael Cicek would get the ball rolling with his tenth of the campaign off a sweet feed from Cristall to tie the game just over a minute into the period. Cristall would put the Rockets ahead for good when he corralled the loose puck and found his way through a group of bodies in front to the back of the net. Hiroki Gojsic would extend the lead with a goal of the week candidate as he put the puck through a Vancouver defenders legs and fought his way to the net before finishing off the fantastic solo effort. Max Graham, Kayden Longley and Nate Corbet would round out the scoring in the period to put Kelowna up by five after 40.
Longley would get his second goal of the night at 2:14 on the power play to make it 8-2 before Vancouver would round out the scoring with a shorthanded Tyler Thorpe goal.
"We did a lot of really good things to get those six goals to open things up," said Rockets Head Coach Kris Mallette. "The guys were feeling it which was great and we were able to carry it throughout (the remainder of the game). Jake Pilon was real good for us too though, you've got to recognize him. When they were able to establish some offensive zone time, he came up big."
ADDITIONAL STATS
Kelowna outshot Vancouver 31-28
Kelowna went 1/3 on the power play while Vancouver's went 0/1
Jake Pilon made 25 saves on the evening
UP NEXT
The Rockets will now welcome Exceptional Status defenceman Landon DuPont to Prospera Place for the first time in his young career when they host the Everett Silvertips on Sunday, November 24 at 4:05 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.
Images from this story
 Kelowna Rockets' Andrew Cristall and Max Graham on game night (Steve Dunsmoor ) |
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