Defenceman Marek Rocak lifted the Rockets past the Wenatchee Wild in overtime on Wednesday night at Prospera Place.
In their final visit of the regular season to Kelowna, the Wild were able to come back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the game in the second period. The two then traded goals in the third period, which resulted in extra time to determine a winner.
Ethan Neutens recorded his first career multi-goal game to earn first-star honours. Jari Kykkanen made 30 saves on 34 shots to pick up his ninth win of the campaign.
PHOTO CREDIT STEVE DUNSMOOR/KELOWNA ROCKETS
Andrew Cristall (14) at the right side of the Wild's net evaded Brendan Gee's swipe attempt to work his way around his glove hand and put the puck into the net 47 seconds into the game. Dawson Seitz (2) skating out from behind the Rockets net turned and fired a sharp-angled shot from the left faceoff circle to tie the game just before the midway point of the frame. Ethan Neutens (3) followed up the puck off the faceoff to the right side of the Wenatchee net where the puck went off of his skate and up over Gee's pad into the net as he was turning to reestablish the Rockets lead late in the frame.
Neutens (4) struck again 1:09 into the second period, making a move around Wild defender Ashton Cumby to fire a shot from the slot past Gee. Briley Wood (10) pulled Wenatchee back within one on the power play, Miles Cooper (8) followed up with another goal 36 seconds later to tie the game.
Gabriel Szturc (11) and Luka Shcherbyna (3) traded goals in the third period before the game went to overtime.
In the extra frame, Marek Rocak (4) went from his own slot through the neutral zone, splitting the Wild's defense and beating Gee with a backhand shot to secure the Rockets tenth win of the campaign
Kelowna will play their next eight games on the road. This weekend the Rockets will face the Vancouver Giants for the second time this season on Friday night where they'll make their first visit of the campaign to the Langley Events Centre at 7:00 pm. The next night Kelowna will head down to Kent to take on the Seattle Thunderbirds at 6:05 pm for the third time in their last five games.
The Rockets next home game is December 29, when they'll host the Kamloops Blazers for the first time this season at Prospera Place.