Stay-Puft
01-21-2006, 01:04 PM
Price Turns Aside Hard Luck Rockets
Just as most of their games will be for the rest of the regular season and playoffs, last night’s tilt vs. Tri-City was a proverbial ‘must-win’ for the Rockets. But, unlike Wednesday night when they defeated Kootenay at Prospera Place, they fell 5-2 before an hungry home crowd of 6121.
Two third period goals by Taylor Procyshen broke a 2-2 deadlock and spelled defeat for Kelowna. His first came on a power play when an attempted pass hit a Rockets’ defender in the rear end and bounced in. His second came on a breakaway after a costly Rockets’ giveaway. Juraj Gracik sealed the win with an empty net marker at 18:07.
Tri-City pounced on the Rockets early and put them in a 2-0 whole before the first period was 10 minutes old. Their first goal by Igor Bacek came after a Logan Stephenson point shot had bounced off about 2 legs and 2 sticks. Stationed to the right of the crease, Bacek slipped the crazily spinning disk past a dizzied Derek Yeomans. Then, Gracik scored a power play marker after Kelowna had taken a costly too-many-men on the ice penalty.
Fortunately, though, the Rockets struck to cut the lead in half before the first period was out. On a power play, Blake Comeau calmly took a Tyler Spurgeon pass and slid his 14th past Carey Price.
An energized Rockets’ team hit the ice for period two and soundly outplayed the Americans while firing 23 shots on goal. If not for the alertness and reflexes of Price – the 5th overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft – the Rockets would have had a few goals. Instead, they settled for one. As he was falling, Justin Keller knifed his 37th of the year past Price at 10:59.
Late in the period the Rockets by rights should have taken the lead but some divine luck intervened on the Amerks’ behalf. First Chris Ray flipped one off the cross-bar. Then Brent Howarth seemingly had Price at his mercy but couldn’t beat him – not once but twice. To finish off the flurry, Ray spun and fired one that beat Price, went through the crease, hit the far post but stayed out.
After Procyshen had his team back in front by a goal, the Rockets continued to attack and had several more good scoring chances. But, they were chances they couldn’t convert to goals. Comeau made a determined run to the goal down the left wing and cut hard to the net. Howarth spun and fired from the slot and Lauris Darzins skated in from the right wing and fired high. On all three chances, the calm Price simply shut the door.
The Rockets get back on the horse on Saturday night when they travel to Kamloops. Kootenay defeated Portland Friday to jump back to 9 points in front of third place Kelowna. Meanwhile, the Blazers beat second place Vancouver 5-4 in a shootout. With the point, the Giants now lead the Rockets by 4 points.
Just as most of their games will be for the rest of the regular season and playoffs, last night’s tilt vs. Tri-City was a proverbial ‘must-win’ for the Rockets. But, unlike Wednesday night when they defeated Kootenay at Prospera Place, they fell 5-2 before an hungry home crowd of 6121.
Two third period goals by Taylor Procyshen broke a 2-2 deadlock and spelled defeat for Kelowna. His first came on a power play when an attempted pass hit a Rockets’ defender in the rear end and bounced in. His second came on a breakaway after a costly Rockets’ giveaway. Juraj Gracik sealed the win with an empty net marker at 18:07.
Tri-City pounced on the Rockets early and put them in a 2-0 whole before the first period was 10 minutes old. Their first goal by Igor Bacek came after a Logan Stephenson point shot had bounced off about 2 legs and 2 sticks. Stationed to the right of the crease, Bacek slipped the crazily spinning disk past a dizzied Derek Yeomans. Then, Gracik scored a power play marker after Kelowna had taken a costly too-many-men on the ice penalty.
Fortunately, though, the Rockets struck to cut the lead in half before the first period was out. On a power play, Blake Comeau calmly took a Tyler Spurgeon pass and slid his 14th past Carey Price.
An energized Rockets’ team hit the ice for period two and soundly outplayed the Americans while firing 23 shots on goal. If not for the alertness and reflexes of Price – the 5th overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft – the Rockets would have had a few goals. Instead, they settled for one. As he was falling, Justin Keller knifed his 37th of the year past Price at 10:59.
Late in the period the Rockets by rights should have taken the lead but some divine luck intervened on the Amerks’ behalf. First Chris Ray flipped one off the cross-bar. Then Brent Howarth seemingly had Price at his mercy but couldn’t beat him – not once but twice. To finish off the flurry, Ray spun and fired one that beat Price, went through the crease, hit the far post but stayed out.
After Procyshen had his team back in front by a goal, the Rockets continued to attack and had several more good scoring chances. But, they were chances they couldn’t convert to goals. Comeau made a determined run to the goal down the left wing and cut hard to the net. Howarth spun and fired from the slot and Lauris Darzins skated in from the right wing and fired high. On all three chances, the calm Price simply shut the door.
The Rockets get back on the horse on Saturday night when they travel to Kamloops. Kootenay defeated Portland Friday to jump back to 9 points in front of third place Kelowna. Meanwhile, the Blazers beat second place Vancouver 5-4 in a shootout. With the point, the Giants now lead the Rockets by 4 points.