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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Top Wild

November 30, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets battle the Wenatchee Wild
Kelowna Rockets battle the Wenatchee Wild
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)

Defenceman Marek Rocak lifted the Rockets past the Wenatchee Wild in overtime on Wednesday night at Prospera Place.

In their final visit of the regular season to Kelowna, the Wild were able to come back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game in the second period. The two then traded goals in the third period, which resulted in extra time to determine a winner.

Ethan Neutens recorded his first career multi-goal game to earn first-star honours. Jari Kykkanen made 30 saves on 34 shots to pick up his ninth win of the campaign.

GAME SUMMARY

Andrew Cristall (14) at the right side of the Wild's net evaded Brendan Gee's swipe attempt to work his way around his glove hand and put the puck into the net 47 seconds into the game. Dawson Seitz (2) skating out from behind the Rockets net turned and fired a sharp-angled shot from the left faceoff circle to tie the game just before the midway point of the frame. Ethan Neutens (3) followed up the puck off the faceoff to the right side of the Wenatchee net where the puck went off of his skate and up over Gee's pad into the net as he was turning to reestablish the Rockets lead late in the frame.

Neutens (4) struck again 1:09 into the second period, making a move around Wild defender Ashton Cumby to fire a shot from the slot past Gee. Briley Wood (10) pulled Wenatchee back within one on the power play, Miles Cooper (8) followed up with another goal 36 seconds later to tie the game.

Gabriel Szturc (11) and Luka Shcherbyna (3) traded goals in the third period before the game went to overtime.

In the extra frame, Marek Rocak (4) went from his own slot through the neutral zone, splitting the Wild's defense and beating Gee with a backhand shot to secure the Rockets tenth win of the campaign

ADDITIONAL STATS

The Rockets record is now 10-13-2-0

Kelowna limited the Wild to one power play that they were successful on, while the Rockets went 0-for-3 on the man advantage

The Wild outshot the Rockets 34 to 29

It was the third of four meetings between the two this season, the Rockets lead the series 2-1. The two will face each other again on January 6 for their final matchup of the season in Wenatchee

UP NEXT

Kelowna will play their next eight games on the road. This weekend the Rockets will face the Vancouver Giants for the second time this season on Friday night where they'll make their first visit of the campaign to the Langley Events Centre at 7:00 pm. The next night Kelowna will head down to Kent to take on the Seattle Thunderbirds at 6:05 pm for the third time in their last five games.

The Rockets next home game is December 29, when they'll host the Kamloops Blazers for the first time this season at Prospera Place.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics




Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets battle the Wenatchee Wild
Kelowna Rockets battle the Wenatchee Wild
(Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from November 30, 2023


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