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WHL Kelowna Rockets

Rockets Zip Past Cougars

April 18, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Kelowna Rockets News Release


Kelowna Rockets centre Scott Cousins handles the puck against the Prince George Cougars
Kelowna Rockets centre Scott Cousins handles the puck against the Prince George Cougars
(Kelowna Rockets, Credit: Allen Douglas)

The Kelowna Rockets showed there was no rust on Saturday night, downing the Prince George Cougars 7-5 in Kamloops, BC at the Sandman Centre.

The Rockets entered a league-mandated, 14-day isolation period following the discovery of a positive test for COVID-19 on Tuesday, March 30. Though seven additional positive tests for COVID-19 were discovered within the Rockets team cohort, this occurred while the individuals were in isolation and did not impact upon the initial start of the 14-day isolation period.

The Western Hockey League announced earlier this week that Kelowna was cleared to resume team activities beginning Wednesday, April 14, after all individuals within the team cohort tested negative for COVID-19 this week.

Trevor Wong stole the show, netting four goals-including his first WHL hat trick. Cole Schwebius picked up his second win of the season, stopping 23 of the 28 shots he faced on the night.

Jake Poole centred a shot that Wong (1) tucked through the five-hole to open the scoring just 23 seconds into the game. Koehn Ziemmer (3) answered for the Cougars just past the midway point of the opening frame. 2005 born affiliate player Andrew Cristall (1) tipped home his first WHL goal to put the Rockets up 2-1 through one.

Kaedan Korczak (1) and Wong (2) expanded the Rockets lead netting short-handed goals on the same penalty kill. Prince George's Fischer O'Brien (1) jumped in on the first goal action, scoring his first while down a man. Wong (3) completed his first hat trick redirecting a shot past Ty Young prior to the end of the period.

Wong (4) took off on a short-handed breakaway to net his fourth of the night 23 seconds into the third period. The Cougars clawed their way back within one after a goal from Keaton Dowhaniuk (2) and a pair from Kyren Gronick (3, 4). Mark Liwiski (1) restored the Rockets two-goal lead with an empty netter.

The Rockets went 0/5 on the power play on the night, but the penalty kill went 4/6 and capitalized three times.

Kelowna outshot Prince George 35-28.

The Rockets record is now 2-1-0-0.

John Babcock, Nicholas Cristiano, Rilen Kovacevic, Ethan Ernst, Jackson DeSouza and William Irvine were the Rockets scratches.

Kelowna will be back in action on Monday when they're the away team against the Victoria Royals at Prospera Place, puck drop is set for 7:05 pm PT.

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Images from this story

Kelowna Rockets centre Scott Cousins handles the puck against the Prince George Cougars
Kelowna Rockets centre Scott Cousins handles the puck against the Prince George Cougars
(Allen Douglas)		   



Western Hockey League Stories from April 18, 2021


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