The Golden Rockets went home disappointed Saturday night, after what was possibly the best effort put forth by the team so far this season.
Eddie Mountain Division rivals, the Creston Valley Thunder Cats, were in Golden this weekend to take on the home town boys. Both teams came out onto the ice ready to play, resulting in a very tight, and scoreless, first period.
The second period proceeded much the same way. But despite outshooting the Thunder Cats 10-5, Creston Valley took the lead with a late goal from Brandon Formosa.
The Rockets, determined not to have a repeat of last week’s 5-3 loss to the Thunder Cats, came out strong in the third, drawing an early penalty.
They were finally able to capitalize on their fourth power play opportunity of the night, when a shot from the point, off the stick of defenceman Brett DeFrias, found its way into the back of the net.
The Rockets were able to take the lead for the first time in the game later in the period after another strong power play effort resulted in a goal from Keith Wake with less than four minutes remaining in regulation time.
Golden did their best to hold onto the lead, but with 37 seconds left on the clock, Creston Valley’s Dane Birks scored the equalizer, sending the game into overtime.
Five minutes of four-on-four were not enough to settle the game, so the crowd at the Golden Arena braced themselves for another overtime period, this time three-on-three.
The Rockets had numerous scoring chances, but were unable to bury the puck.
The Thunder Cats were able to get a breakaway, ending the game halfway through the second overtime, with a goal from Trevor LeBlanc.
“This is a game where we outplayed them, and we deserved a better fate than we had tonight,” said Head Coach Ty Davidson.
The Creston Valley goaltender, Michael Halls, faced 46 shots that night, earning him the the third star of the game.
“I think we made their goaltending look good at times,” said a frustrated Davidson. “We’re not bearing down on our chances. Shots were 46-28 again, we’ve got to win those games.”
The weekend may have ended in disappointment, but it started on a high note with a win on Friday night.
The Rockets squashed the momentum of the Columbia Valley Rockies, fresh off their second win of the year, with a 3-1 victory.
It was a tight first period, shots 10 to 9 in favour of the Rockets, but Golden managed to take the lead with a goal from Brandon Shirley.
Two more goals in the second came from Carson George and Jacob Bergeron, giving the Rockets a 3-0 lead heading into the third.
Unfortunately the team could not hold on to the shutout, as the Rockies scored their only goal of the evening, shorthanded by Cody Stephenson, late in the third.
The Rockets are playing their next two games on the road, against the Sicamous Eagles on Dec. 16, and the Revelstoke Grizzlies on Dec. 17.
Final Home Game of 2011
Before heading home for their Christmas breaks, the Rockets will be playing one final game in front of the home crowd on Tuesday Dec. 20 against the Fernie Ghostriders.
Buy a program at the game for your chance to win at Turkey Bowling during the first intermission.
“We’re also doing the Teddy Bear Toss,” said Golden Rockets Treasurer Nancy Dupuis. “So when Golden scores their first goal, everybody tosses their teddy bears over onto the ice, and then the bears are donated to the hospital.”
So don’t forget to bring a teddy bear from home when you go to the game on Tuesday. The Golden firemen will be there to pick the teddy bears off of the ice.
“We’re drawing for our raffle tickets as well,” said Dupuis. Tickets are $20 a piece, and the grand prize is $9,000.
‘We’re getting close to selling out, but if we have some left, people can buy them up until the game.”
