Rigby leads Rockets to shutout win

Shoot the Breeze Photography

• Was it a sign of two tired teams clashing Tuesday night at Prospera Place? Regardless, the  Kelowna Rockets did what was necessary in a 4-0 home ice win over the road weary Swift Current Broncos. The Rockets were playing their fourth game in seven nights while the Broncos were playing their fifth game in eight nights. It all added up to a rather uneventful 60 minutes of hockey. But remember, not all of the 72 games a team plays will be heart palpating end to end action. This one was definitely not that. The Rockets were good enough in the first period that they set the tone for a tough final game of the Broncos BC Division road trip. The visitors wanted to fight back but didn't have much jump in their game.
• The tone was set early by the Rockets when they scored 56 seconds into the opening period. A goal by Carter Rigby, his first of two on the night, literally took the wind out of the Broncos sails. The visitors managed a handful of decent scoring chances but were unable to beat Jackson Whistle, who earned the shutout with an 18 save performance. 
• While Whistle was called upon occasionally, he made a nice stop on a Broncos power play in the second period and a nice pad save in the third period to keep the shutout intact. The 19 year-old didn't let his mind wander despite the lack of rubber he saw in the game. The 18 shots allowed were a season low for the Rockets.
• Broncos goaltender Landon Bows was the best player on the ice in the first period. Had Bows struggled, the game would have been out of reach early for the visitors. Bows made solid stops (11 of 13) to keep the score 2-0 after one period. The Broncos generated just 9 shots the other direction in the first 40 minutes. 
• There was lots of hype as the Merkley brothers - Jay and Nick - met for the second time in their WHL careers. Nick had the best scoring chances of the two, but neither found the score sheet.     
• What kind of game was it? The Rockets top six point producers were held off the score sheet. That again shows you the home team did what they had to do to win and little more.
• Tyson Baillie had his six game goal scoring streak snapped. 
• Madison Bowey and Nick Merkley failed to hit the score sheet for the first time this season.
• The Rockets failed to score a power play goal for the first time this season. They were 0 for 2.
• The Rockets took just three minor penalties. The only rough stuff came late in the game when Broncos d-man Ayrton Nikkel wanted to fight Rockets sophomore Dalton Yorke.
• Rookie d-man Lucas Johansen earned his first career assist on Carter Rigby's first period goal.
• It was one of the smallest regular season crowds I've seen in a long time at Prospera Place. Just 4,503 took in the game.   
• Nice job by the off-ice crew at Prospera Place after glass broke just outside the Rockets blue line early in the third period. The delay was just under 8 minutes.