iSight Optometry Recap: Rockets snap nine game skid with 4-1 win over Lethbridge

iSight Optometry Recap: Rockets snap nine game skid with 4-1 win over Lethbridge

The Kelowna Rockets snapped their nine-game winless streak on Tuesday, downing the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-1 at Prospera Place.

“Our group came to play,” said Rockets head coach Kris Mallette in his media availability following the game. “It was nice to see our goaltender cover up a lot of mistakes that we made, but watch our players do what they’ve been doing over the last little bit and then get rewarded for it. To lock it down was something that we haven’t been able to do, which I’m real proud of our group.”

Due to injuries the Rockets only dressed ten forwards, which also included defenceman Ismail Abougouche playing upfront.

The Rockets entered the game having held the lead entering the third period in two of their last three games only to fall behind and lose, on Nov. 13 they fell in overtime and to Prince George in regulation on Nov. 18. In the third period of tonight’s game the Rockets entered with a 1-0 lead for the Hurricanes to tie the game on a penalty shot.

“We gave up the penalty shot for them to tie it up I felt the bench sag a little bit, but credit to the guys who were out there, they just kept it simple and kept grinding. I’m really happy with the decisions that we made, especially in the last five minutes and that’s something we haven’t done of late and tonight was a team effort.”

Jari Kykkanen made 34 saves on 35 shots to earn the game’s second star and pick up his seventh win of the season.

KRIS MALLETTE POSTGAME  | GAME HIGHLIGHTS | BOXSCORE

GAME SUMMARY

Lethbridge captain Joe Arntsen lost the puck along the left boards where Will Munro recovered it, skating into the corner he fed the puck out to Gabriel Szturc (10) into the slot to give Kelowna the lead 8:18 into the second period.

While Lethbridge was shorthanded Logan Wormald took off on a breakaway, Rockets defenceman Caden Price dove cutting Wormald’s legs out from under him earning a penalty shot. Cutting in from the left side, Wormald (5) shot the puck between Rockets starter Jari Kykkanen’s pads to tie the game 5:05 into the third period. Munro took the puck up to centre, passing the puck back to Szturc who carried the puck up through the middle drawing a pair of Hurricanes towards him and dished the puck off to a trailing Tij Iginla (18) who let the game-winner fly from the top of the left faceoff circle at the ten-minute mark. Marcus Pacheco (1) added an insurance marker on the power play before Caden Price (3) scored into the empty net.