Giants Roar Back

r It was a big test for the Rockets, and one they nearly passed.

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r But, a 4-goal third period by the Vancouver Giants (38-4-0-3) did them in. Kelowna came out afire and held a 3-2 lead after 40 minutes before succumbing during the tell-tale final frame in which the Giants out-shot them 15-6.

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r Evander Kane had a hat trick, including a clinching empty net marker while Casey Pierro-Zabotel, the league’s leading scorer had a goal and three assists.

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r There was a lot to like about the Kelowna game. Unfortunately, they couldn’t counter the Giants’ third period fury. All told, they played well enough to win against most teams in the WHL. Clearly, a win over Vancouver will require their absolute best.

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r The forward line of Ian Duval, Cody Almond and Mikael Backlund played an outstanding game and was responsible for 3 of the 4 Rockets’ markers. Almond scored once and added an assist while Duval and Backlund each scored their first goals in Kelowna colours and picked up 2 assists.

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r The Rockets came out flying and jumped ahead 1-0 just a minute and 37 seconds into the game. Duval made a clever play to spot Almond alone in front and hit him with a tape to tape pass. Almond, who’d come off the Kelowna bench and headed straight for the slot, one-timed the puck off the post and in.

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r Not long after, however, the Rockets got into some deep trouble and the Giants wasted little time in capitalizing. A holding call on Aaron Borejko was followed just 3 seconds later by a delay of game penalty to Tyler Myers, who’s clearing attempt sailed unimpeded over the defensive zone glass.

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r Craig Schira one-timed Brent Regner’s pass from the left point and beat Mark Guggenberger along the ice when the Rockets’ goalie couldn’t get down in the butterfly in time.

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r That goal turned the momentum in Vancouver’s favour and with it a sustained attack on the Kelowna goal. But, the Rockets stayed calm and kept the Giants from getting any serious scoring chances. Late in the frame, Almond intercepted a point to point pass at the Kelowna line and raced in alone on Tyson Sexsmith. Almond had the Giants’ goalie moving but fired his shot high over the goal after a backhand to forehand deke.

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r Evander Kane had the Giants in front for the first time in the game when he scored Vancouver’s second two-man advantage goal of the game 4:26. Stationed off the left of the Kelowna goal, Kane quickly snapped a rebound off the pad of Guggenberger into the goal. The two-man power play was created, once again, by a delay of game call moments after an initial minor penalty to Kelowna.

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r Again, though, the Rockets refused to wilt. They gradually regained some thrust and tied the game with a pretty goal at 12:17. Duval finished off a nifty 3-way passing play with Almond and Backlund, when he wrested home his 16^th of the season from the bottom of the right wing circle.

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r Then, the Rockets got a break to go up 3-2 heading to the final period. Tyson Barrie fired a shot that Sexsmith reacted to. But, the puck struck something on its way to the net and landed in the goal crease with the Vancouver goalie down and out. Evan Bloodoff was there to slide home his 7^th of the year.

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r Pierro-Zabotel got the Vancouver train rolling when he tapped in a loose puck while on his back at 7:18. The goal was a fortunate one in the same vein as the aforementioned Bloodoff marker. A shot by Schira had hit the post and left Guggenberger down and out.

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r Just 1:23 later, Mike Berube got the go-ahead goal when he beat the Kelowna goalie with a sailing, screen shot that glanced in off the post. When Kane whipped an eight-footer under the blocker of the Kelowna goalie at 14:38, Kelowna was down 5-3.

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r But, the Rockets got a late power play try and Coach, Ryan Huska, called timeout to allow them time to regroup and mount a final assault. And, when Backlund knifed home Duval’s rebound with 3:06 to play, it looked like a wild finish could be in store.

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r But, the speedy Kane ended any hopes when he completed his hat trick after Pierro-Zabotel had intercepted a pass in the neutral zone.

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r The Rockets will be off to Chilliwack and Kamloops this weekend as they hope to get back in the win column. The loss was their third in a row and 4th in their last five games.

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