WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Score Plenty but Fall in Game Two

Published on March 25, 2018 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets take a shot vs. the Tri-City Americans
Kelowna Rockets take a shot vs. the Tri-City Americans
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Cindy Rogers)

The Kelowna Rockets fell 9-7 in game two of round one of the 2018 WHL Playoffs at Prospera Place.

Nolan Yaremko slashed Dillon Dube off the opening draw to give the Rockets an early power play, and after being shutout in game one, the Rockets opened things up early. Kole Lind(1) one timed a pass on the power play from Cal Foote and 36 seconds into game two the Rockets were up 1-0. Just 15 seconds later Kyle Topping(1) made it 2-0, scoring with a snap shot on a solo rush after a nice delay just across the Tri-City blueline. At the 3:00 mark Cal Foote(1) made it 3-0 Kelowna on a one-timer thanks to Liam Kindree's cross ice pass. The period was far from over though, as Tri-City began to mount a comeback as Michael Rasmussen(3) scored on an Americans power play to make it 3-1. Then at 13:36 Nolan Yaremko(1) cut the Rockets lead to just one on another Tri-City power play. Rasmussen(4) scored his second of period at 15:19 to even things up at 3-3. Just 50 seconds later Yaremko(2) got his second of the frame to make it four unanswered Tri-City goals to give the Americans a 4-3 lead that they took into the second period. Brodan Salmond entered the game in James Porter's relief following the fourth Americans goal.

Early in the second period Nolan Foote(1) picked off a Juuso Valimaki stretch pass and skated in alone snapping home his first of the post season. Then at 8:58 Lind(2) tipped home a Cal Foote point shot to regain a Rockets lead. A few minutes later Isaac Johnson(2) evened things up once again for the Americans. With just under five minutes to play in the period Kaedan Korczak(1) picked up the puck in his own zone, took it behind his own net, and then took off on an end-to-end rush that finished with him chipping the puck off of the side of Patrick Dea's pad and in to once again regain a one goal Kelowna lead. After 40 minutes of play the Rockets led 6-5. Following the Rockets sixth goal, Beck Warm entered the game in Dea's relief.

3:00 into the final frame Morgan Geekie(3) tied the game up once again for Tri-City. At 11:37 Carsen Twarynski(1) snapped home his first of the series on a Kelowna power play to make it 7-6, but Geekie(4) notched his second of the evening 33 seconds later to once again even the game. Johnson(3) made it 8-7 for the Americans at 13:12 as the goal scoring affair continued. Yaremko(3) completed his hat-trick on the empty net for Tri-City to make it 9-7, and that's how it would end.

James Porter stopped 12 of the 16 shots he faced before Brodan Salmond entered the game in his relief. Salmond stopped 18 of 22 shots he faced as the Rockets were outshot 39-26.

The Rockets now trail the best-of-seven series 2-0.

Game three goes on Wednesday, March 28th at 7:05pm at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, WA.

The full first round schedule is as follows:

Game 1 Tri-City @ Kelowna Thursday, March 22 7:05

Game 2 Tri-City @ Kelowna Saturday, March 24 7:05

Game 3 Kelowna @ Tri-City Wednesday, March 28 7:05

Game 4 Kelowna @ Tri-City Thursday, March 29 7:05

Game 5 * Tri-City @ Kelowna Saturday, March 31 7:05

Game 6 * Kelowna @ Tri-City Sunday, April 1 5:05

Game 7 * Tri-City @ Kelowna Tuesday, April 3 7:05

Tickets are available for Rockets home games through selectyourtickets.com, at the Prospera Place box office or by phone at 250-762-5050.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics

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Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets take a shot vs. the Tri-City Americans
Kelowna Rockets take a shot vs. the Tri-City Americans
(Cindy Rogers)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from March 25, 2018


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