Kykkanen blanks Royals in CHLGOTW
Jari Kykkanen made 21 saves as the Kelowna Rockets blanked the Victoria Royals 2-0 in Wednesday’s CHL Game of the Week.
Tij Iginla and Hiroko Gosjic scored for the Rockets (23-24-3) while Kykkanen recorded his second shutout of the season. Victoria’s (25-18-8) Jayden Kraus stopped 39 shots in defeat.
Iginla, the 11th ranked North American skater for the 2024 NHL Draft in NHL Central Scouting’s mid-term rankings, gave the Rockets a 1-0 lead at 7:36 of the first as he buried his own rebound for his 35th goal of the year.
35th of the year for Tij Iginla!
The 2024 #NHLDraft prospect buries his own rebound to give the @Kelowna_Rockets a 1-0 lead! #CHLGOTW pic.twitter.com/lQnRJLoert
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) February 8, 2024
The lead was doubled at 12:57 after Gosjic, who is also draft eligible this year, teamed up with Michael Cicek before the former buried his 14th of the campaign.
2024 #NHLDraft prospect Hiroki Gojsic links up with Michael Cicek and the @Kelowna_Rockets have doubled their lead! #CHLGOTW pic.twitter.com/FgbWN4i8gx
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) February 8, 2024
Kraus made the save of the night in the second frame as he stacked the pads to deny Rockets captain Gabriel Szturc and while the Royals fired 11 third period shots, one more than their total through the first two periods, Kykkanen was never truly threatened as he collected his fourth career shutout.
The victory snapped a mini two-game losing streak for the Rockets while the Royals drop to 0-2-1 in their last three contests.