Malc
02-02-2009, 02:53 PM
By Doyle Potenteau
First, Mark Guggenberger received help from his post. Then he helped the Kelowna Rockets post an impressive victory.
Cody Almond had a natural hat trick for Kelowna, scoring three times in the second period, and Jamie Benn had two goals as the Rockets pummelled the Medicine Hat Tigers 10-1 in WHL action on Friday night.
And getting in on the offensive action was Guggenberger, who helped set up Kelowna's fourth goal – and Almond's first – with a long stretch pass that turned into a wrap-around marker.
"Any time you get lucky with the posts, you gotta thank them," said Guggenberger, who tapped his right post several times after the Tigers clanged a shot off it during a first-period power play. "But I think they helped me out three or four times tonight, actually."
As for that stretch pass, up to Almond at the centre line, that goal turned out to be the game-breaker, one that broke Medicine Hat's spirit.
"Most of their guys went for a change, so I thought I'd fire it down there," said Guggenberger, who took advantage of a waived icing call by spotting Almond all alone on the left side.
"Everybody thought it was going to be icing, but it got waived off and (Guggenberger) saw me up there and hit me," Almond said of his first goal, which was originally credited to Colin Long. "I tried to feed it to Long, but it it hit the skates, so I came around with the wrap-around."
Mitchell Callahan, with two goals, Stepan Novotny, Ian Duval and Evan Bloodoff also scored for Kelowna (29-19-0-2), which led 3-1 and 8-1 at the period breaks. Benn's goals were his 29th and 30th of the season, while Almond's were his 23rd, 24th and 25th. His trifecta came during an eight-minute span in the second, a frame which saw Kelowna light the lamp five times.
Almond's first goal of the night, which made it 4-1, came at 7:03. By 15:17, the Rockets held a 6-1 lead and the game was over.
Zdenek Okal replied for Medicine Hat (28-19-3-3), which closes out a four-game road trip (1-2) tonight in Kamloops.
Friday's contest was the second of three meetings this season, a series now tied at 1-1. The Tigers won the opener, 4-1 in Medicine Hat on Oct. 3.
Guggenberger made 23 saves for the Rockets, while Ryan Holfeld took the loss for the Tigers after getting pulled midway through the second on Kelowna's fifth goal.
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=161807
First, Mark Guggenberger received help from his post. Then he helped the Kelowna Rockets post an impressive victory.
Cody Almond had a natural hat trick for Kelowna, scoring three times in the second period, and Jamie Benn had two goals as the Rockets pummelled the Medicine Hat Tigers 10-1 in WHL action on Friday night.
And getting in on the offensive action was Guggenberger, who helped set up Kelowna's fourth goal – and Almond's first – with a long stretch pass that turned into a wrap-around marker.
"Any time you get lucky with the posts, you gotta thank them," said Guggenberger, who tapped his right post several times after the Tigers clanged a shot off it during a first-period power play. "But I think they helped me out three or four times tonight, actually."
As for that stretch pass, up to Almond at the centre line, that goal turned out to be the game-breaker, one that broke Medicine Hat's spirit.
"Most of their guys went for a change, so I thought I'd fire it down there," said Guggenberger, who took advantage of a waived icing call by spotting Almond all alone on the left side.
"Everybody thought it was going to be icing, but it got waived off and (Guggenberger) saw me up there and hit me," Almond said of his first goal, which was originally credited to Colin Long. "I tried to feed it to Long, but it it hit the skates, so I came around with the wrap-around."
Mitchell Callahan, with two goals, Stepan Novotny, Ian Duval and Evan Bloodoff also scored for Kelowna (29-19-0-2), which led 3-1 and 8-1 at the period breaks. Benn's goals were his 29th and 30th of the season, while Almond's were his 23rd, 24th and 25th. His trifecta came during an eight-minute span in the second, a frame which saw Kelowna light the lamp five times.
Almond's first goal of the night, which made it 4-1, came at 7:03. By 15:17, the Rockets held a 6-1 lead and the game was over.
Zdenek Okal replied for Medicine Hat (28-19-3-3), which closes out a four-game road trip (1-2) tonight in Kamloops.
Friday's contest was the second of three meetings this season, a series now tied at 1-1. The Tigers won the opener, 4-1 in Medicine Hat on Oct. 3.
Guggenberger made 23 saves for the Rockets, while Ryan Holfeld took the loss for the Tigers after getting pulled midway through the second on Kelowna's fifth goal.
http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=161807