Pre-Game: Rockets and Americans in Kelowna
On a night when the spotlight shone on the Kelowna Rockets director of player personnel, a pair of California kids combined to give the Rockets a 3-1 win over Tri-City.
Mitchell Callahan, a native of Whittier, CA, scored the winning goal for the Rockets, snapping a 1-1 tie with eight minutes to play in the third period and sending the Rockets onto a win, improving its record to 39-26-0-1.
Callahan’s goal came as the pace of play picked up with both teams creating chances in the third period. Shane McColgan, from Manhattan Beach, CA, jumped on a loose puck at the Rockets blueline and sped through neutral ice. The diminutive speedster fired a quick pass to Callahan who one-timed the shot past Americans goalie Drew Owsley.
Geordie Wudrick also scored for the Rockets, putting home his team leading 39th goal of the season as the 20-year-old continued to build on his career best goal total. Evan Bloodoff scored into an empty net
Carter Ashton replied for the Americans on a second period power play.
Kelowna netminder Adam Brown had another solid night, winning his 33rd game of the season. With the game still tied 1-1 in the third period Brown made back to back stops on two Tri City chances midway through the period. The Yorba Linda, CA native flashed out his glove to get a piece of an in-close wrister from Matt MacKenzie. Seconds later he fired out the left pad to kick a Justin Feser shot to the corner, keeping the score 1-1.
Prior to the game Rockets assistant general manager and director of player personnel Lorne Frey was honoured with the WHL Distinguished Service Award.
The Rockets now move on to a home and home series with Kamloops this weekend, playing in Kamloops on Friday and back in Kelowna on Saturday night.
Scratches:
Kelowna – Mitchell Chapman, Jason Siebert, Brett Bulmer, Max Adolph
Tri-City – Dylan Fluter, Adam Hughesman, Mason Wilgosh, Neal Prokop
Starting Goalies:
Kelowna – Adam Brown
Tri-City – Drew Owsley
