The Kelowna Rockets took to the ice Tuesday hoping to extend their four-game point streak when they faced the Moose Jaw Warriors in their only meeting of the season.
The puck dropped with two familiar faces in the Rockets’ lineup: Vojtech Cihar, who was playing his second game since being reassigned to Kelowna by the Los Angeles Kings organization, and rookie standout Madden Daneault, who returned after competing with Team Canada White at the U17 World Hockey Challenge.
The Warriors opened the scoring just under four minutes into the game. After creating an odd-man rush and moving the puck around, Warriors forward Mathieu Lajoie fired a shot past the glove of Rockets goaltender Linden Sobocan to give Moose Jaw an early lead.
The Rockets looked to respond when Ryan Oothoudt picked up the puck in the slot and fired a shot on goal. However, Warriors goaltender Dylan Mingo got a piece of it with his shoulder, sending the puck out of play.
Moose Jaw extended its lead when Luke Moroz picked up the puck behind the net and passed it out front, where Casey Brown fired it just inside the far post to make it 2-0.
Shortly after the Warriors’ second goal, the Rockets were awarded a power play when Warriors forward Carson Deichert was sent to the penalty box for two minutes for hooking.
The Rockets needed just 36 seconds to capitalize. Jacob Henderson found Jakub Frolo on the far side, and Frolo hammered home a one-timer to cut the Warriors’ lead to one. Cihar also picked up an assist on the play.
The Rockets tied the game on a point shot that was redirected by forward Dylan Deets. The puck struck the crossbar before bouncing into the net at an unusual angle, initially confusing those in attendance. Following a video review, the goal was upheld. It was also Deets’ first career WHL goal.
Despite a relatively quiet start to the period, the Rockets finished the first with the score tied 2-2 and a 15-8 advantage in shots.
The second period saw the Rockets get the first opportunity when Cihar received a pass that sent him in alone on a breakaway. He attempted a backhand shot from close range, but Mingo made the save with his glove.
The Warriors had a breakaway of their own a few minutes later after Rockets defenceman Will Kelts fell in the Moose Jaw end. However, Sobocan turned aside the attempt.
During a stoppage midway through the period, Rockets defenceman Remy Koch and Warriors forward Carson Smith dropped the gloves. Both players received five-minute major penalties for fighting.
Following the fight, Oothoudt had a breakaway but was denied by Mingo’s blocker.
The Warriors went the other way, and defenceman Connor Schmidt sent the puck in front of the net. It deflected off the skate of Rockets defenceman Peyton Kettles and into the net to give Moose Jaw a 3-2 lead. The goal was later credited to Lajoie, while Schmidt received an assist.
Just 37 seconds after the Warriors regained the lead, the Rockets responded. Henderson’s point shot was stopped by Mingo, but the rebound landed on Frolo’s stick, and he fired it into the open net. The goal was reviewed and upheld, tying the game at three.
The Rockets were assessed a two-minute penalty when Kettles was called for tripping, sending the Warriors to the power play.
Moose Jaw generated limited zone time during the ensuing power play, and the Rockets successfully killed off the penalty.
Shortly after killing off a penalty of their own, the Warriors were assessed a two-minute roughing penalty following a scrum in the corner, sending the Rockets back to the power play.
Kelowna capitalized once again. Forward Cole Braunshausen found a rebound following a Henderson shot and slid the puck through Mingo’s five-hole to give the Rockets a 4-3 lead and their first advantage of the night.
Late in the second period, Kettles was called for holding an opponent’s stick, giving the Warriors another power play.
The period ended with the Rockets leading 4-3 and holding a 31-18 advantage in shots. The Warriors had 1:33 remaining on their power play to begin the third.
The Rockets opened the final frame by killing off the remainder of the penalty. However, Kettles was soon assessed his third penalty of the game, this time for tripping, sending the Warriors back to the power play.
While shorthanded, Rockets forward Madden Daneault stripped the puck from a Warriors player and raced down the ice on a breakaway, finding the back of the net to give Kelowna a two-goal cushion.
The Warriors’ power play was cut short when Schmidt was called for a two-minute interference penalty. The teams played approximately 30 seconds of four-on-four hockey before the Rockets received a power play of their own.
Kelowna did not score on the ensuing man advantage, but the Rockets were soon given another opportunity when Warriors forward Gage Nagel was called for high-sticking.
The Rockets’ potent power play struck again. A shot from forward Owen Folstrom slipped behind Mingo before Dawson Gerwing deposited the puck into the net. Daneault also received an assist.
Immediately after the goal, Rockets defenceman Will Kelts was assessed a two-minute holding penalty, giving Moose Jaw an opportunity to respond. However, the Rockets successfully killed off the penalty without allowing any significant scoring chances.
The Warriors were not ready to call it a night, as Nagel scored on a shot from the slot that beat Sobocan cleanly, cutting Kelowna’s lead to two.
Moose Jaw was then called for high-sticking when Smith’s stick struck Thomas Poletine in the face, knocking off his helmet. The penalty sent the Rockets back to the power play, where they had already scored three times.
Once again, Kelowna capitalized on the man advantage. Braunshausen tipped a point shot past Mingo. The goal was reviewed after appearing to involve a high stick, but it was upheld.
Seconds later, a bouncing puck in front of the net found Oothoudt’s stick, and he tapped it in to extend the Rockets’ lead to four.
The Warriors responded several seconds later with a goal from Moroz, cutting the Rockets’ lead to three.
Moose Jaw then took another penalty when Brown was sent to the box for high-sticking, giving Kelowna yet another power play.
With a comfortable lead and fewer than five minutes remaining, the Rockets largely focused on maintaining possession during the power play and did not generate any significant scoring chances.
The clock eventually hit zero, with the Rockets earning an 8-5 victory over the Warriors.
Sobocan made 23 saves on 28 shots for Kelowna, while Mingo stopped 35 of 43 shots for Moose Jaw.
After the game, Rockets head coach Derrick Martin said that although the team’s start left something to be desired, he was pleased with how the players responded.
“I just like the way that we went about scoring some of them in the desperation and the no quit. And I think that, you know, without resiliency, is something we talked about on day one at camp, and it’s something that you know, I think, has shown up a lot in our group early on this season, and if you can have that in your group, you give yourself a chance.”
Martin also discussed why the power play played such a significant role in the game.
“I just thought we had a real killer instinct. Tonight, we attacked. If they pushed us high, we were smart enough to move it down low. If they were jumping us low, we really pressured and got it up high. And when you’re shooting pucks on the power play, you’re gonna get a chance to score.”
With two goals in the game, Rockets forward Jakub Frolo said he hopes the team can maintain its offensive production.
“Yeah, in the last couple of games, we haven’t been good offensively, so it’s big for us that we can get more than three goals.”
The Rockets will be back in action Saturday when they play host to the Victoria Royals.
