Sloan's Four-Goal Game Leads Americans Over Rockets
February 9, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Tri-City Americans News Release
Kelowna, B.C. - Jake Sloan recorded the first four-goal game of his career as the Tri-City Americans (25-21-4-1) doubled up the Kelowna Rockets (16-29-4-1) 4-2 Saturday night in Kelowna.
Sloan's first of the game came 4:43 into the first period. Rockets goaltender Jake Pilon came out of his net to play the puck, but his pass along the boards was knocked down by Max Curran.
The puck then went to Savin Virk who quickly fired it toward the net. Pilon got a piece of it, and it deflected to the slot where Sloan snapped it home, opening the scoring for Tri-City.
After failing to connect on a power play the Americans went right back to another and Sloan scored his second of the game. Jackson Smith let a shot go from the slot that Pilon stopped, but the rebound went right to Sloan who tapped home his second of the game to give the Americans a 2-0 lead.
Tri-City lead 2-0 after one despite the shots reading 8-6 Kelowna.
The Rockets came out with some jump in the second period, heavily outshooting the Americans early on. Tri-City had just one shot on net in the opening nine minutes the period. Despite the pressure, Lukas Matecha held the fort and kept the Rockets off the board.
It stayed that way until late in the period when Hiroki Gojsic jumped on a rebound in the slot, firing home his 17th of the year to cut the Americans lead to one. The goal game with 4:07 remaining in the period as Tri-City carried a 2-1 lead into the third. Shots were 22-12 Kelowna after 40 minutes.
Sloan completed his third career hat trick early in the final frame. Taking a centering feed from Virk below the goal line, Sloan ripped a shot off the post and in restoring Tri-City's two-goal lead 5:54 into the period.
Kelowna wouldn't back down however and Kayden Longley pulled the Rockets within one, jumping on the rebound off a shot from Kalder Varga with 9:56 left in regulation.
The Rockets went to the power play with 4:18 left in regulation, but the Americans penalty kill was able to deny Kelowna of the tying goal.
Pilon was on the bench for the extra attacker late in the power play for Kelowna and remained there as Ismail Abougouche came out of the box. Eventually the Americans were able to get the puck to center ice and Curran found Sloan driving toward the net for his fourth goal of the game, and first career four-goal game.
The win snapped Tri-City's nine-game losing streak at Prospera Place, which dated back to the 2018-19 season. It was also Kelowna's 10th loss in a row.
The Americans now head to Kamloops as they go for the season series sweep against the Blazers (18-28-4-0).
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