The Brandon Wheat Kings snapped the Kelowna Rockets three-game win streak on Tuesday night with a 6-3 win at Westoba Place in Brandon, MB.
The Wheat Kings special teams were the story of the night, scoring a pair of power-play goals and two short-handed goals.
With a goal and two assists, Andrew Cristall picked up third-star honours and extended his point streak to 11 games.
Rockets defenceman Ethan Mittelsteadt was called for hooking less than a minute into the game, where Quinn Mantei (3) opened the scoring on the man advantage at 2:11. Just past the midway point of the period Tij Iginla (23) skated from the low left faceoff circle behind the net to wrap the puck around past goaltender Carson Bjarnason.
The Wheat Kings took control of the game netting a pair of goals 30 seconds apart early into the second period, Tre Fouquette (1) found the back of the net with Roger McQueen (16) quickly adding another goal. The Rockets responded with a goal from Andrew Cristall (18) 13 seconds later when he redirected Gabriel Szturc's shot. Former Rocket Nolan Flamand (9) restored the Wheat Kings two-goal lead with a shorthanded tally at 8:40 after he tucked the puck between Jari Kykkanen's five hole.
The Rockets pulled back within one 1:15 into the third after Andrew Cristall's pass to Tij Iginla in the slot floated up to Marek Rocak (5) at the point. The Wheat Kings power play went to work again, striking for the second time as Jayden Wiens (9) pushed Brandon back out to a two-goal lead at 4:25. Luke Shipley (5) would add another short-handed goal at 12:37. As the game wore on, so did the patience between the two as Luke Shipley and Ethan Mittelsteadt dropped the gloves, moments later in the frame Matt Henry and Luke Schelter had a quick tilt.
The Rockets will now face Prince Albert on Friday and Saskatoon on Saturday before heading into the holiday break. Both games are set to start at 5:00 pm pacific time.
The Rockets next home games are set for December 29 against Kamloops and December 30 against Calgary.