The Âé¶čAV Rockets got back into the win column on Friday night and with some help in the standings, are within one point of clinching a playoff spot.
65 minutes wasnât enough as the Rockets beat the Vancouver Giants 4-3 in the shootout on Friday night at Prospera Place.
It wasnât the start the Rockets had hoped for as they found themselves down 2-0 after the first period.
Just over four minutes into the second period, the Rockets got within one as Adam Kydd tapped home a power play goal off an outstanding play by the teamâs leading scorer Andrew Cristall.
Really loving this AC-AK duo! |
â The WHL (@TheWHL)
A minute and a half later, however, Ty Thrope found the back of the net to give the Giants a 3-1 lead.
Early in the third period, the Rockets made it 3-2 as Marcus Pacheco, who was back in the lineup after missing the last six games, passed it through the Vancouver goaltenderâs legs to Max Graham who scored his 10th of the year.
'Juuuuuust taaaaaap it in,' Max Graham, probably x
â Âé¶čAV Rockets (@Âé¶čAV_Rockets)
While keeping it a one-goal game and after killing off a five-minute penalty, Jari Kykkanen made what was deemed the âsave on the nightâ in the WHL on Friday night off of a two-on-one opportunity.
đ„SAVE OF THE NIGHTđ„
â The WHL (@TheWHL)
Kykk-ing his way to honours. |
And then with a half and a half to go in the game, Cristall was the hero once again as he scored his 35th goal of the season from the top of the left circle to force overtime. Kydd and defenceman Caden Price collected the assists on the goal.
After overtime didnât solve anything, the game went to the shootout where captain Gabriel Szturc scored the only goal, to give Âé¶čAV the 4-3 victory.
Now that was an ending worth sitting through all 65+ minutes for đ
â Âé¶čAV Rockets (@Âé¶čAV_Rockets)
Kykkanen made 23 saves in the game and stopped all three shots in the skills competition.
With the win and with both Spokane and Victoria losing Friday night, the Rockets need just one point on Saturday night in Spokane to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
The magic number for the is down to one.
â The WHL (@TheWHL)
Saturday nightâs puck drop is at 7:05 p.m. at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane, Wash.
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jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
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