Rockets extend home ice winning streak

Despite the scoreboard reading a respectable “5-3” when time expired at Prospera Place in Kelowna, the issue was never in doubt as the Kelowna Rockets defeated the Prince George Cougars on Wednesday night.

It was the Rockets ninth straight win on home ice and improved the team’s record to 15-8-2-1 on the season. The Cougars dropped to 9-13-2-2.

Carsen Twarynski, 3 goals

Carsen Twarynski scored three times for the Rockets, doing what a 20-year-old should do. It was the second hat trick of the campaign for the Philadelphia Flyers draft pick.

The Rockets scored early, in keeping with its very fast starts of late on home ice. By the time the first period came to an end, Kelowna had scored on a power play, shorthanded and at even strength to lead 3-0.

“If we can continue to come out of the gates and do things the right way off the start of the game, it really gives you a chance,” said Rockets head coach Jason Smith. “This is a hard place to play and when teams come in here and get behind early, it gives us a real good opportunity to win.”

Twarynski, Kyle Topping and Cal Foote were in on the first goal of the game at 4:01, a tic-tac-toe marker that culminated with Twarynski depositing a one-timer past Cougars young goaltender Isaiah DiLaura.

That’s something new that we were doing in practice,” Twarynski said of the game’s first tally. “A couple of us were in different spots. We ran that play three times at the start of our last practice, that exact same shot. It worked out well.”

Dillon Dube, shorthanded goal

At 10:16, Dillon Dube’s supplied a head-shaking shorthanded goal. Dube created the loose puck in the attacking zone, dipsy-doodled through traffic into the slot and ripped a shot past DiLaura for his 15th of the year. The Calgary Flames draft pick left four defenders in his wake, scoring a goal that will certainly make the rounds on highlight reels for some time.

“It’s almost hard to be surprised, but I still was,” Twarynski offered when asked about Dube’s goal. “It was an amazing play. He’s a special player and he’s got an amazing skill set. He works his bag off. It’s good to see him get rewarded with nice goals like that.”

Twarynski added his second of the night at 19:26. DiLaura couldn’t handle Braydyn Chizen’s shot from the blueline and Twarynski beat two defenders to the rebound before sliding it into the net. Twarynski scored his third of the game at 14:11 of the third period, taking a deft feed from Topping and sifting a shot high past DiLaura.

Twarynski’s previous career high was a 20-goal season for the Calgary Hitmen two years ago. He has scored 18 goals in 23 games for Kelowna so far this season.

Cal Foote added his sixth of the season at 17:53 to make it 5-1 for the Rockets.

The Cougars scored twice in the final three minutes, goals from Jared Bethune and Dennis Cholowski. Speedy Josh Curtis surprised the Rockets with a shorthanded breakaway tally midway through the second period.

Kelowna improved to 15-8-2-1 and is 9-3-0 against B.C. Division rivals. Next up for Kelowna is a trip to Spokane to meet the Chiefs on Friday.

Post Game Interview: Jason Smith (click here)

Post Game Interview: Carsen Twarynski (click here)

Rockets Fuel…Shots on goal were 29-29…Announced attendance was 4,454…Three stars were Twarynski, Dube and Cal Foote…Kelowna was 2-for-4 on the power play…Scratches were Kelvin Hair, Konrad Belcourt, Erik Gardiner, Kole Lind, Kyle Pow and Brodan Salmond…Nolan Foote returned to the lineup after sitting out the last four games…Following the game, Rockets general manager Bruce Hamilton met with the media to discuss forward Kole Lind’s recent six-game absence from the lineup. The details can be found at DUBNetwork.ca by clicking right here…Next home game is Saturday, Dec. 2 at 7:05pm against the Kootenay Ice. It’s the annual Teddy Bear Toss game.

(DUBNetwork thanks Kevin Bain and the Kelowna Rockets for its game day audio/video.)