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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets' Win Streak Continues

January 10, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Seattle Thunderbirds' Sam Popowich battles Kelowna Rockets' Nathan Kam and Kayden Longley
Seattle Thunderbirds' Sam Popowich battles Kelowna Rockets' Nathan Kam and Kayden Longley
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)

The Kelowna Rockets extended their win streak on home ice to seven games while handing the Seattle Thunderbirds their ninth consecutive loss with a 5-2 come-from-behind victory on Wednesday night.

After falling behind 2-0 on back-to-back Seattle power play goals, the Rockets special teams were able to net back-to-back goals on the man advantage to tie the game. Kelowna then continued to press, recording a season-high 46 shots on net, while adding three more unanswered goals.

"We didn't do ourselves any favours taking three relatively lazy penalties in the first period that came back and cost us," said Rockets head coach Kris Mallette. "When you take those penalties, you've gotta be able to kill them and we didn't. We got ourselves into a hole, but I really liked our response during the second. I thought we were carrying the play and a lot of shot volume, were rewarded for it, then carried that over to the third."

Seattle Kraken prospect Caden Price earned the game's third star after recording a pair of assists on the Rockets two power-play goals and the fifth goal of the game.

"I think just moving the puck fast," said Caden Price about the Rockets power play when asked what was clicking tonight. "The faster we move the puck the better it is to get them out of position and get them running around. Credit to Gabby [Gabriel Szturc], he's putting the puck in the net and AC [Andrew Cristall] too, especially his [Szturc's] one-timer - it's hot right now."

GAME SUMMARY

With Max Graham sitting in the penalty box for hooking, the Thunderbirds took the opening lead of the game 9:48 into the period on a goal from Nathan Pilling (8). Seattle then took a two-goal lead at 17:06 after getting another power play goal late in the frame from Sawyer Mynio (9). The Rockets responded with their own power play goal from Andrew Cristall (23) to cut the lead in T-Bird's lead in half heading into the first intermission.

Early into the second frame while on the power play, Andrew Cristall made a cross-ice feed from the left faceoff circle to tee up Gabriel Szturc (20) with a one-timer to tie the game up. A minute and a half later Cristall (24) picked off a blind pass in the Rockets zone to take off on a breakaway and give Kelowna their first lead of the game. Max Graham then set up Szturc (21) with another one-timer, this time at the backdoor of the net to double up the Rockets lead.

With time and space, Szturc set up Caden Price (5) at the right dot to let a shot past Scott Ratzlaff.

ADDITIONAL STATS

- The Rockets record is now 19-17-2-0

- Kelowna's power play was 2/4 on the night, while Wenatchee was 2/6 with the man advantage

- The Wild outshot the Rockets 46-30

- Jari Kykkanen made 28 saves on 30 shots to record his 15th win of the season

- Rockets leading scorer Andrew Cristall extended his point streak to nineteen games after posting four points

- This was the final meeting of the regular season between the two, with each claiming a pair of victories in the season series

- Carter Kowalyk, who was acquired earlier in the day from Edmonton, did not arrive in time for the game tonight. He is expected to make his Kelowna Rocket debut this weekend

UP NEXT

The Rockets will hit the road for back-to-back games this weekend against the Prince George Cougars. Puck drop is set for 7:00 pm on Friday and 6:00 pm on Saturday.

Check out the Kelowna Rockets Statistics




Images from this story

Seattle Thunderbirds' Sam Popowich battles Kelowna Rockets' Nathan Kam and Kayden Longley
Seattle Thunderbirds' Sam Popowich battles Kelowna Rockets' Nathan Kam and Kayden Longley
(Steve Dunsmoor/Kelowna Rockets)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from January 10, 2024


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