ISight Optometry Recap: Pankratz scores first career WHL goal as Rockets defeat Royals 4-1

ISight Optometry Recap: Pankratz scores first career WHL goal as Rockets defeat Royals 4-1

The Kelowna Rockets won back-to-back games in Victoria since the 2018-19 season after they followed up their 4-2 victory on Saturday with a 4-1 defeat of the Royals in the home sides Teddy Bear Toss game on Sunday afternoon at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

Andrew Cristall had another two goal game while Jake Pilon made 32 saves in the victory, moving Kelowna to 13-11-2-1 on the season.

HIGHLIGHTS | BOXSCORE 

GAME SUMMARY

Connor Pankratz would open the scoring with his first career Western Hockey League goal. Pankratz would accept a pass just inside the blue line from Jakub Stancl and fired a shot under the arm of Royals goaltender Spencer Michnik for a 1-0 first period lead.

Victoria would tie the game in the second period when Justin Kipkie would hammer a point shot to bring down the teddy bears at Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre and give us a 1-1 score after 40 minutes of play.

The third period however, was all Rockets as Hiroki Gojsic dashed in and beat Michnik five-hole for a 2-1 lead, Gojsic’s second goal in as many nights against the team that drafted him. Andrew Cristall would score his 21st and 22nd of the season to make it 4-1, the first being a wicked backhand that came out so quickly the officials initially called it off, and the second beating Michnik with pin point accuracy to the far side of the net.

Cristall and Caden Price will now take off for Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp which will take place in Ottawa from December 10-13. Cristall will go into Canada’s camp with 51 points in 21 games while Price has 32 points in 26 games from Kelowna’s backend.

ADDITIONAL STATS