The Kelowna Rockets carried on the momentum of their big win against the Kamloops Blazers on Wednesday by sweeping the Prince George Cougars.
Starting the weekend off on the right foot! @Payworks recap 📝 https://t.co/7QtZx5YRSh@saveonfoods highlights 📹 https://t.co/raMw1sYhWl
box score 📊 https://t.co/uugZXrOjC2 pic.twitter.com/kuPGgiA5TE— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) November 13, 2021
The Rockets started their five-game road trip in Prince George with a 5-2 win on Friday. Kelowna jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first with goals from Mark Liwiski, Steel Quiring, and Tyson Feist.
The Cougars bounced back with goals from Lieket Reichle and Viliam Kmec to make it 3-2. The goal by Kmec’s first-ever WHL goal.
Unfortunately for the Cougars, the line of Colton Dach, Pavel Novak, and Gabriel Szturc struck again in the third. Dach scored the insurance goal on a tic-tac-toe play with Novak and Szturc that Dach deflected in at 10:39 of the third period. Novak then added an empty netter to solidify the win.
Colton on the doorstep, for what's probably the easiest goal of his career!
🚨 Colton Dach
🍎 Gabriel Szturc @GSzturc
🍏 Pavel Novak @pnovak111 #blackhawks | #mnwild pic.twitter.com/Sm7dozmMzz— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) November 13, 2021
Cougars goaltender Taylor Gauthier did all he could to keep the Cougars in the game. He made 26 saves, several key ones when it was 3-2 for the Rockets. But he came away with the loss.
Talyn Boyko, who made his debut for the Rockets Wednesday against the Blazers, made 18 saves for the win.
A 21 save performance for Colby Knight to pick up his first @TheWHL shutout! pic.twitter.com/0XHKwbZbLj
— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) November 14, 2021
On Saturday night, Colby Knight made 21 saves for his first-ever WHL shutout as the Rockets blanked the Cougars 3-0. Andrew Cristall, Max Graham, and Tyson Feist scored for the Rockets.
Babcock lays out the boom 💥 pic.twitter.com/XIwft0p1wY
— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) November 14, 2021
This game started off with fireworks. Mark Liwiski and Jonny Hooker got into a fight 1:56 into the game. It set the tone for a physical, hard-fought game.
That hand-eye coordination! 👋👀
🚨 @AndrewCristall
🍎 Pavel Novak (@pnovak111)
🍏 @JakeLee03409003 #mnwild | #novomania pic.twitter.com/B4kij0rpHl— Kelowna Rockets (@Kelowna_Rockets) November 14, 2021
Cristall scored on a nice tip-in at 10:49 for the winning goal. Graham would add to that with his thread of the season. Feist added the empty netter.
The Cougars fall to 6-9 and have now lost three in a row. They are home next week against the Tri-City Americans.
The Rockets have now won four in a row. This includes three straight wins against the Cougars. They are now at 8-3-0-1 and are second place in the B.C. Division. They will head to the USA next weekend for the first time since Saturday, February 29, 2020, to play the Portland Winterhawks.
