Rocket’s Blast Past Giants

The Giants dropped back to back games against the Rockets over the weekend falling 5-1 Friday and 5-0 on Saturday in Prospera Place in Kelowna.

Friday was “Joe Sakic Night” when 9,919 fans watched as the club honoured the Burnaby native who played 20 years in the NHL with two clubs; the Quebec Nordiques and the Colorado Avalanche.

Colton Sissons scored a pair (Friday) of goals (19th and 20^th) of the year which saw both teams combined for three goals in a span of 3:14.

Kelowna opened a 2-0 lead as Goulbourne and Sissons his first of two goals on the night followed by a marker for the Giants.

Dalton Sward cut the lead in half and had final shots 10-6 for the Rockets.

The Giants had a better period, controlling of the game by use of tighter fore-checking as well as clog up the middle but failed to get one past former Giant Jackson Whistle.

Jared Rathjen played strong for the Giants but Kelowna managed to take a 2-1 lead going in the third.

Vancouver enjoyed a 21-18 edge in the shots through two.

In third saw the Rockets score twice extending the lead with a markers from Sissons and Baillie. Both were 34 seconds apart extending the lead to 4-1. The final minute saw Barnett score with 20 seconds left in regulation rounding the final 5-1 score in favour of Kelowna.

Jackson Whistle was outstanding stopping 32 of 33 earning him the games first start selection as selected by Linden Little (formerly of the Vancouver Sun). Vancouver’s record fell to 13-39-0-0 while the Rockets improved to 39-10-3-1.

Both clubs met the following night in Kelowna where the Rockets continued to pound away at the struggling Giants winning by a margin of 5-0.

This moved Kelowna in second place in the Western Conference just behind the Portland Winter Hawks. Vancouver’s record fell to 13-40-0-0.

Vancouver play’s back to back games in Prince George the 9^th and 10^th followed by the first Family Day game in BC Feb 11^th held at the Coliseum.
Face-off is set for 2:00 pm.