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View Full Version : Rockets muffle Bruins; Giants to visit Okanagan



Malc
03-09-2009, 01:26 PM
By Doyle Potenteau

And just like that, the Kelowna Rockets are in third place. For now.

At Chilliwack, Lucas Bloodoff scored just 70 seconds after the opening faceoff for Kelowna as the Rockets defeated the Bruins 3-1 in WHL action on Friday night. With the win, Kelowna now has 88 points, one more than Spokane after leapfrogging the Chiefs for third.

Also Friday, the Chiefs suffered a surprising 2-0 loss in Prince George. Both Kelowna and Spokane have five games remaining, and the fourth-place finisher will likely face the No. 1-seeded Vancouver Giants (114 points) in second-round playoff action.

“We found out about (moving up to third) after the game,” said Rockets head coach Ryan Huska. “It was an important night for us, not only points-wise, but also because we hadn‘t been playing well against lower-ended teams.

“Our leaders really got the team ready to play tonight.”

Did they ever, as the Rockets outshot the Bruins 40-15, including 12-2 in the third.

“We had a good first period, then an average second,” said Huska. “But the guys got going again in the third. We had that quick start and that really helped. All four lines and the six defencemen played well tonight.”

Stepan Novotny, with his 18th goal, tallied at 8:54 of the first, and Mikael Backlund, with his 10th at 7:35 of the second, also scored for Kelowna (42-21-1-3). Tonight, 7 p.m. at Prospera Place, the Rockets host the Giants (55-8-1-3).

Mark Guggenberger made 14 saves for the Rockets, while Lucas Gore turned aside 37 shots for the Bruins.

Mike Krgovich replied for Chilliwack (15-46-2-5), which suffered its seventh consecutive loss (0-6-0-1). The Bruins are 1-8-0-1 in their past 10, and, for the first time in the team‘s three-season history, will not make the playoffs.

The Rockets closed out their series with the Bruins at 6-0-0-2. Meanwhile, Kelowna‘s record against Vancouver is 2-5-0-0.

“This is an important game for us,” Huska said. “This is the last time we play Vancouver in the regular season, so we want to make sure we end off with a good showing in case we do meet them in the playoffs.”

ICE CHIPS: Kelowna scratched RW Kyle St. Denis (concussion) and D Aaron Borejko.

http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/stories_local_sports.php?id=169762