ROCKETS DIFFUSED
Calgary launched themselves to a 2-1 win over the Kelowna Rockets Sunday afternoon at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
“We came out really strong. We had a lot of jump and enthusiasm and when its games like these, obviously already kind of playoff mode out there and I think games are going to come down 2-0 or 1-0 games. It’s good to get the experience from games like that,” said Hitmen forward Brady Brassart on the narrow victory.
The Hitmen lit up the goal light just five minutes into the opening frame on the powerplay as an explosive shot from the point rebounded right onto the tape of Jimmy Bubnick. The Saskatoon product buried it into the open net for his 29th of the season.
“When we control the game with the lead and they are pressing to tie it up, we kind of got back on our heels a little bit,” said Hitmen backstop, Brandon Glover.
Kelowna drew even six minutes later as the Hitmen were jammed up in the neutral zone, leading to a 2-on-1 rush for the Rockets. Brett Bulmer, who recorded the lone Rockets goal of the previous two games of the season series, released a snapshot up and over the catcher of Brandon Glover.
Calgary finished the frame with a significant advantage on the shot clock, leading the Rockets 15-6 after one.
The Hitmen thought they had regained the lead off a Collin Bowman shot from the point during a two man advantage 4:43 into the second stanza, However, the goal was quickly called off as Hitmen forward, Danny Gayle was deemed to have impeded on the goaltender.
About halfway into the third frame, Victor Rask skated along the right wing side and landed a shot on goal that glanced off Kelowna backstop, Jordon Cooke and dribbled into the right corner of the net.
“It definitely wasn’t a hard shot but put it over his pad, so I got lucky. I think we got a good start and the guys worked hard and we had a lot of opportunities, so it was a good win,” explained Rask.
“There wasn’t a lot of room out there, but I think at the end of the day we found a way. Vic got a nice goal there. Its as nice as a goal gets, a goals a goal, your pretty happy when you see that go in when its been 1-1 for so long,” added Brassart.
With only two minutes remaining in the game, a Kelowna breakaway nearly knotted things up once again as Shane McColgan narrowly missed the net.
Today’s win swept the season series with the Kelowna Rockets at 3-0 Calgary.
Brandon Glover made 26 saves for Calgary to record his 18th win of the season.
The Hitmen, now 37-23-2-1, move into fourth in the Eastern Conference with 77 points.
Calgary returns to action on Wednesday, February 29 when they welcome the Swift Current Broncos. The Leap Day game will be broadcast live on Shaw at 7:00 p.m. Radio broadcast on Sportsnet 960 The FAN also begins at 7:00 p.m.
THREE STARS
1. CAL – 14 Jimmy Bubnick
2. KEL – 19 Brett Bulmer
3. CAL – 31 Brandon Glover
