Kelowna Daily Courier

ROCKETS TAKE 2 VICTORIES ON ISLAND ROAD TRIP

A game of firsts vs. Royals

The Kelowna Rockets picked up their 20th win of the season with a 4-3 victory over the Victoria Royals on Wednesday night at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre on the Island.

Jari Kykkanen, 17, made his WHL debut in net for the Rockets. The Lloydminster, Alta., product picked up his first WHL win, too, turning aside 21 of 24 shots.

His wasn’t the only milestone; John Babcock notched his first WHL goal while Pavel Novak inched closer to 100 career points with an assist. Novak sits at 99 career WHL points heading into the weekend.

Kelowna led 3-1 heading into the third period, but the Royals responded with a pair of goals to tie it up early in the final frame. With time ticking away, over-age defenceman Jake Lee scored the gamewinner.

Scoreless after one, Andrew Cristall (11) snuck a weak backhand between the legs of Royals starter Tyler Palmer. Mark Liwiski (10) pulled off a toe drag move to push the Rockets to a 2-0 lead.

Anthony Wilson (4) cut Kelowna’s lead in half. But Babcock recorded his first WHL goal on a strange play, dumping the puck in along the glass before it ricocheted off Palmer’s back into the net.

Bailey Peach (24) and Matthew Hodson (2) pushed back with a pair of goals to tie the game early in the third. With 1:54 to play, Lee (9) danced his way into shooting position in the slot before he fired a wrist shot that held up as the game-winner.

The Rockets outshot the Royals 49-24. Both teams were 0-for-3 with the power play.

The Rockets record improves to 20-101-3, good enough for second in the BC Division with 44 points.

Kelowna will be back in action on Friday when they head to Langley to face the Vancouver Giants (16-18-2).

Game time is 7:30 p.m. (watch.CHL.ca, AM1150).

The next Rockets’ home game is Saturday against the same Giants.

CHILLY.

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2022-01-28T08:00:00.0000000Z

2022-01-28T08:00:00.0000000Z

https://kelownadailycourier.pressreader.com/article/281698323137288

Alberta Newspaper Group