The Kelowna Rockets added two more points to their lead over the Kamloops Blazers in the B.C. division Saturday night.
The Rockets beat the Blazers 2-0, and move seven points ahead of Kamloops in the third and final playoff spot in the division. It was the Rockets second win in two nights, after a 4-3 shoot-out win over Spokane Friday.
“We played good I mean, coming back from Spokane late, and it was a tough game,” said head coach Adam Foote. “We’re really paying attention and figuring out how to win, I think they understand that the city really cares about them, and they’re playing for the city.”
The first period started slow as both teams were coming off a game Friday night; Kamloops lost in a shoot-out to Prince George. The Rockets controlled most of the play in the first period but Blazers’ goalie Dylan Ferguson turned the Rockets away to end the period 0-0.
The second period started off 4 v 4 after both teams received penalties at the very end of the first period. With the extra ice, Lassi Thomson was able to skate clearly through the neutral zone and into the Blazers’ zone to drop a pass for Liam Kindree, who was playing in his first home game since returning from injury. Kindree’s snapshot was stopped by Ferguson but Nolan Foote was at the doorstep to bury the rebound and his 31st goal of the season. The Rockets added to the lead only a few minutes later on a very similar play, except it was Mark Liwiski who was crashing the net for his ninth goal of the season.
Kindree played well in his second game back from injury and was happy to be back playing with his teammates.
Liam Kindree is back, he had one point in the @Kelowna_Rockets 2-0 win over the Blazers. Back, and ready for the home stretch. #WHL pic.twitter.com/xsKe0g28Mo
— Mack Britton (@MackBrittonBC) February 24, 2019
Rockets’ goalie Roman Basran earned the shut-out in the big win over the Blazers, but the Rockets are not out of the woods yet. Kelowna has only eight games remaining in the regular season to make sure they, and not the Blazers, advance to the playoffs at the end of March.
Rockets’ next game is March 1 in Vancouver against the Giants, and then return home March 2 when they host the Portland Winterhawks in back to back nights.
To report a typo, email:newstips@kelownacapnews.com.
@KelownaCapNewsnewstips@kelownacapnews.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
