Saturday, December 17, 2011

Ending it off on a high note

The Kelowna Rockets left Saskatchewan on a high note Saturday night with a 5-1 win over the Saskatoon Blades. Carter Rigby scored once and added two assists as the Rockets won for the 14th time this season. Colton Sissons, with his team leading 20th goal, was one of five different goal scorers as the Rockets concluded the Eastern Conference road trip with a record of 2-2-0-2.

The Rockets power play and the
lack of discipline by the Blades were huge factors in the game. The Rockets went 3 for 7 with the extra man and didn't allowed a goal on five Blades power plays. Sissons, Rigby and Brett Bulmer all scored power plays goals as the Rockets led 3-1 and 4-1 at the period breaks. It marked the fourth time this season the Rockets have scored three power play goals in one game.

Adam Brown was named the games first star with a 37 saves performance. Brown's best work came in the third period when the Blades attempted to rally back. On this night a third period collapse by the visitors wasn't going to happen as the Rockets MVP from last season was on his game.

It is awfully impressive to see two- 16 year-old's opening and closing out the scoring. Rookie Tyson Baillie gets it started less than two minutes into the game and then rookie Jesse Lees scored arguably the nicest goal with a nice individual effort to make it a 5-1 game. Lees played the game as a forward and didn't look out of place. Lees and fellow 16 year-old Madison Bowey have taken huge strides in the last half of this trip.

Again, the Rockets played this game without seven regulars. They dressed five players 16 or younger. The Blades dressed just one.

No comments: