Rockets season ends in Kamloops

by Wayne Moore

Kale Kessy scored his second goal of the game on a power-play 2:24 into sudden death overtime Wednesday leading the Kamloops Blazers to a 4-3 victory over the Kelowna Rockets and a four game sweep of their best-of-seven Western Conference series.

Kessy's goal came with Madison Bowey in the penalty box serving a delay of game penalty.

It was the Blazers 11th power-play opportunity of the night. The Rockets were handed just one power-play in comparison.

The Rockets, playing their sixth game in nine nights and coming off a deflating 5-4 overtime loss the night before appeared to be out of gas through the first 30 minutes.

Despite trailing just 1-0 they had been shorthanded nearly half the game to that point and didn't have much push back.

The Rockets came to life 12 minutes into the second when Tyson Baillie, back in the line-up after serving a two game suspension for a game one hit on Colin Smith, grabbed a loose puck in the slot and wired a slap shot past a surprised Cole Cheveldave.

The Blazers would blow the game open late in the period with goals two-and-a-half minutes apart from defenceman Marek Hrbas and Matt Needham.

Needham's goal came with Riley Stadel serving a questionable tripping penalty.

The Rockets fought back in the third and eventually tied the game at three.

JT Barnett scored his third in two games firing a wrist shot through a maze of players past a screened Cheveldave five minutes into the third.

Cole Linaker notched his second of the playoffs four minutes later when he deflected home Damon Severson`s blast from the right boards.

The goal was reviewed and stood up.

Like the Blazers the night before, the Rockets were forced to kill off a pair of late penalties to take the game into overtime.

And, like the night before, the Blazers didn't take long to end it.

Buzzing around the Rockets net on the early power-play, Kessy banged home the winning goal from near the goal line off a feed from Joel Edmundson at the top of the right circle.

A dejected Jordon Cooke had no chance on the winner.

Cooke, who was given the hook after allowing three goals on 11 shots the night before was spectacular in a losing cause Wednesday.

He turned aside 41 of 45 shots directed his way including six of seven in the hectic but brief overtime period.

At the end of the day the Rockets were unable to overcome fatigue, injuries and a talented, experienced Blazers team that will now move on to the Western Conference final for the first time since 1999.

Wednesday`s game also marked the end of the line for Barnett, Cody Fowlie and Dylen McKinlay who all played their final games in a Rockets uniform.

http://www.castanet.net/news/Sports/...ds-in-Kamloops

Like we've said all year this group has lots of character and tonight was no different," said Rockets assistant coach Dan Lambert on the AM1150 post game show. "When we were down 3-1 we battled and we kept with the game plan and we had to kill more penalties. It was a very, very gutsy efffort by our guys tonight."

Lambert said the lopsided number of power play chances was tough to take for his team, adding that several Kelowna penalties were deserved but the discrepancy in power play chances was a factor in the game.

"I saw two hockey teams play a great hockey game and battle hard so as far as the hockey went I thought it was up to snuff," said Lambert. "But when it came to the officials I didn't think it was up to snuff. You have 40 kids out there giving it everything they have so when you have the guys in stripes ruin the game it's disappointing."