The Golden Rockets played two very strong games this weekend, and despite losing both, could be on the right track to finally get that second win of the season.
The Nelson Leafs were in town Friday night to take on the Rockets. The first period was pretty even with great chances on both ends. The Leafs opened the scoring 12 minutes into the game when Ryan Cooper put one past Rockets netminder Canon Whitbread to make it 1-0. The Rockets fought back putting a lot of pressure on the Leafs’ defensive team.
Rockets forward Jake Gudjonson finally slipped it past Leafs goalie Sam Burford with assists from Nick Runnalls and Jacksyn Goodall. The first period ended all tied up at one and a pretty even shot count, with the Leafs leading in shots 14-13.
The second half again saw a lot of action in both ends with a lot of great chances for each team. The Leafs took the lead eight minutes into the period when Sawyer Hunt scored with assists from Logan Wullum and Brent Headon. The Rockets fought back hard, but couldn’t solve Burford and took a 2-1 deficit into the second intermission.
The third period saw a drop in pressure from the Rockets as they struggled to get out of their zone for the majority of the period. The Leafs added four more goals in the period from Brendan Makay, Nicholas Wihak, Ryan Keilty, and Cooper’s second goal of the night. The Leafs out shot the Rockets in the third 21-8, and the game ended in a 6-1 win for the Leafs.
Despite the drop in the third period, the Rockets showed a lot of energy and good gameplay in the first two periods, and Head Coach Jason Stephens believes a win is just around the corner.
“We have to build on every little thing right now and every success,” Stephens said. “We have to celebrate the little things and keep moving forward.”
Saturday night, the Rockets were once again in Invermere for a rematch of last week’s game in the same arena against the Columbia Valley Rockies. The Rockets got off to a great start with good pressure in the offensive zone.
Rockets forward Kade Garritty opened the scoring two minutes into the game with assists from Jordan Popoff and Whitbread. The Rockets continued to put pressure on the Rockies and scored again 16 minutes into the first period after Shawn Grobowsky put it past Rockies goalie Joshua King with assists by Goodall and Christian Dees. The Rockets took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
In the second period, the Rockies came back hard, scoring two goals and tying it up three minutes into the period with goals from Fraser McMann and Chase Hawkins. The Rockies put pressure on the Rockets throughout the period and put a lot of shots on net.
The Rockies scored a third goal in the period after Hunter Beckett put it past Rockets goaltender Canon Whitbread to take a 3-2 lead into the second intermission.
The third period was another strong effort by the Rockets as forward Runnalls tied the game at three, only three minutes into the period, with an assist by Gudjonson. The third period saw a lot of back-and-forth action with both teams taking a good amount of shots on net.
After Ryan Partaker took a penalty halfway through the period, the Rockies capitalized on the power play opportunity with Hawkins scoring his second of the night to take a 4-3 lead. The Rockets then had a crucial power play with six and a half minutes left in the game, but couldn’t find the back of the net.
The Rockies added another goal with 43 seconds remaining, and the game ended in a 5-3 win for the Rockies.
The Rockets’ next home game will be Friday, November 24, against the Spokane Braves.
