Rockets spoil Royals record setter

Jordon Cooke stellar in 4-1 win vs. Royals

• The Victoria Royals had plans of setting a new franchise record for consecutive wins on home ice at six. The Kelowna Rockets had other ideas. Tyrell Goulbourne scored once and added an assist leading the visitors to a 4-1 win while Jordon Cooke was steady making 28 saves including a pair of penalty shot stops. The win was the Rockets 8th of the season and moved them into a tie with the Royals for first place in the BC Division. Both teams now have 18 points. 
• The Rockets opening the scoring after a controversial no goal at the other end of the ice. Rookie Tyler Soy cuts towards the net, makes contact with Cooke, and the puck enters the net before it comes off its pegs. The call on the ice was no goal. The reason? Soy made contact with Cooke, pushing him backwards which did not allow him to make the save. The fans in the building weren't buying it with repeated replays of the goal on the massive video screen at Memorial Arena. Regardless, the goal did not stand.
• Less than 20 seconds after play resumed following the non-goal, Cole Linaker would find the back of the net to open the scoring. If the Royals fans weren't cranky after the no-goal, their hatred increased significantly for the officiating crew after Linaker lit the lamp for a 1-0 Rockets lead.       
• I can't remember the last time two penalty shots were called against the Rockets but it happened Friday night. Leading Royals point getter Logan Nelson couldn't find the back of the net when the score was 2-0 and then Luke Harrison couldn't beat Cooke when he was awarded a free pass to the net in the third period when the Rockets had a 3-1 lead. Those stops were massive in the big picture. If Victoria scores, in both incidents, it is a one goal game.   
• The Royals are now 5 and 4 on home ice this season while the Rockets are 3 and 1 on the road. The only blemish is a loss in Spokane.
• It was nice to see two veterans get out of mini goal scoring slumps. Myles Bell scored the teams third goal snapping a four game goal scoring drought. Zach Franko scored the fourth goal on a tremendous feed from Tyson Baillie. It was Franko's first goal in eight games.
• Ryan Olsen has points in six of his last seven games but was robbed in the third period of a sure goal by a great glove hand save by Royals goaltender Patrik Polivka.
• Nick Merkley was terrific last night. No points for the 16 year-old but his battle level is extremely high. What I like about Merkley is his battle level for pucks in his own end is as high as it is in the offensive zone.